Evolution
by deviant bamboo
Summary: Given all of our current theories on evolution and natural selection, we have never come close to explaining the large leaps that some species are able to achieve...until now. Until HER.
1. Chapter 1

EPOV

Trudging through the dirt and debris scattered along the silent street, I desperately tried to keep my senses aware of every movement and sound. So far, the only echoes were those of the threadbare soles of my own boots as they maneuvered through a minefield of discarded and forgotten personal belongings and refuse. The dry air in the Nevada desert could really make sounds carry. The click of a chambered round in Jasper's Glock alerted me to the fact that he and Emmett had finished their search of the Little A'Le'Inn Restaurant.

"No dice, cleaned out," Emmett whispered as a despondent looking Jasper slowly shook his head.

"Fuck, Ed, I just don't know. It's getting harder and harder to find any of this shit on Carlisle's list," Jasper hissed. "I mean, Jesus! Ali is really sick this time! What the fuck do I do, Ed?"

I looked at my brother-in-law with as much compassion as I could muster at the moment. "Look, Jazz," I breathed out slowly trying to maintain my composure and keep my emotions in check, "I know this shit is really hard on you. I asked Carlisle to let you stay with Ali, but he insisted the three of us go on this little excursion with as deep into Dreg territory as we are going. Don't you think I'm worried about Ali too? I mean she's my sister for Christ sake! We're lucky she survived the fever at all. And now to risk losing her to something as arbitrary as a fucking respiratory infection? It's taking everything in me to keep a level head. I know you are used to me as the Sarge and being able to answer all your questions and handle any situation. But dammit, Jasper, I need your head in the game too. This isn't the fucking SEALS anymore, got me?"

Jasper nodded woodenly, looking everywhere but directly at me. "I-".

"Shh!" Emmett hushed us and motioned for all of us to move off the street and into the shadowed alley between the restaurant and some store called Newman's. Picking up the pace, we quickly hoofed it into the alley and hunkered behind a charred dumpster, guns at the ready,

"What did you hear?" I quietly growled in Emmett's direction.

"Shuffling...growling...snapping, you know those fuckers have a distinct sound! We need an escape route, quick Sarge!" Emmett's voice was rising as the sounds of a horde of Dregs got closer.

"Calm the fuck down," I whispered harshly, "and don't call me Sarge."

I quickly stood up to peer into the mottled window of the rickety. "Holy fuck! This is some kind of doctor's office or pharmacy! Looks clear. Emmett, crack the back door lock and let's move the fuck inside. We may have to hole up for a while until they move on. Jasper, cover the rear. Move, move!"

Within five seconds, Emmett had broken the lock on the back door of the little pharmacy. We made our way inside the dark and musty back room, guns drawn, and instincts on high alert. Dust particles wafted around us in a chaotic blizzard, only to settle on rows upon rows of countless pill bottles.

"Hell yeah!" Emmett breathed. "We finally hit fucking pay-dirt!"

I grabbed the back of his shirt, garnering his attention, and motioned for him to shut the fuck up and get down. Jasper quietly closed the back door, with barely an audible click of the deadbolt, and joined us on the floor. I could hear the faster approaching pounding of feet on pavement and the insistent growling indicative of the Dreg horde. My heart sped faster at the thought that I had led us here and may not be able to get us home. My eyes slipped closed as I let out a silent prayer that our presence would go unnoticed by the monsters outside.

Fifteen minutes passed uneventfully. Just when I thought we were in the clear, a straggler bounced off one of the windows, gnashing his teeth together. The force of the blow wasn't enough to break the window, but it did break the deafening silence in the backroom. A soft whimper followed by a quiet sob drifted to my ears from two isles behind our current location.

Emmett's eyes, wide as saucers, bored into mine from across the aisle. I immediately realized my mistake. In our haste to get inside and away from the horde, we neglected to clear the rest of the building. Fuck! Stupid rookie mistake may get us all fucking killed. After all, we couldn't be the only scavengers.

As silently as possible, I moved myself into a squat position at the head of the aisle. In one sweeping motion, I swung my arms and torso over, drawing my gun into a kill position at the same moment, ready to fire at my intended enemy.

However, instead of being met with the cold eyes of an adversary, I was met with the softest eyes I had ever seen. Framed in thick black lashes, their vibrant green color was only intensified by the moisture that slowly seeped from their outer corners. Big fat tears rolled down her cheeks as she raised her hand to her mouth, trying to squelch the loud gasp that escaped through her plump pink lips.

Dumb ass that I am, I was so stunned by her simplistic beauty, I neglected to lower my weapon. Poor girl.

"Shit, sorry...sorry!" I holstered my weapon and held my hands up raising into a kneeling position. I tried to make myself seem as nonthreatening as possible. "I promise I mean you no harm, please calm down. Jazz, Em! Get over here. You won't believe this."

My eyes remained trained on the wisp of a girl in front of me. With the shock wearing off, I could concentrate more on the details surrounding her presence. She looked to be in her early twenties. Long dark mahogany hair framed a sweet heart shaped face. Her porcelain skin had smudges of dirt and the tips of the fingers on the hand she held to her beautiful mouth were raw and somewhat bloody, as if she had clawed her way from underground. My gaze slipped down her long, graceful neck, past her collar bones to the garment that was barely clinging to her lithe little frame. A hospital gown? There isn't a hospital within a hundred miles of this podunk little town. The gown, bearing no hospital insignia, was marked with the sole letter "B". The poorly fastened garment was also filthy and ended right above her cute little knees, which were also covered in dirt and grime with new bloody scratches marring her beautiful skin. Worst of all, though, were her little feet. They must be what brought her to the pharmacy in the first place. The sole of her left foot looked like shredded hamburger meat and her right foot was tucked up near her lap, poorly bandaged with an entire roll of gauze. Her right foot must be worse than her left, as the bandages were already soaked through with blood.

Jasper and Emmett took that particular moment to come barreling around the corner, causing a shriek to erupt from the fragile creature. I was off my knees in a split second clasping my hand over her mouth to quiet her cries, a sharp spark shooting up my arm upon contact with her skin.

"Hey, hey, hey. Shh, it's okay. They're with me. My name is Edward. The blond surfer over there is my brother-in-law, Jasper," I stated pointing to the corner where Jasper stood stoically, observing the room. "And the big gorilla behind me is my best friend, Emmett," I mumbled, jerking my thumb over my shoulder. "They didn't mean to startle you. I won't let anyone hurt you, I swear it," I told her in my most soothing voice.

_I trust you._

All of this excitement must be getting to me, now I'm imagining things. I slowly released my hand from her mouth and looked back at the two gaping buffoons I call brothers. "Watch it ass-wipes, you scared her."

Looking back at the beautiful creature beside me, I gently took her hand and lowered my mouth closer to her ear so I could whisper. "Sweetheart, I need you to be really quiet, okay? No screaming, just whisper. I don't want those things outside to come back. They are hyper sensitive to smells and sounds. Now, do you have a name, sweetheart?" I asked.

Her hair fell loosely around her shoulders as she shook her head no. She raised one finger to the "B" on her gown.

"Does your name start with a B?" I implored. Again she shook her head no. With the same finger, but more forcefully, she jabbed the bloody tip at the letter on her gown. I took her hand in my own, trying to calm her. "It's alright, sweetheart. Just B it is."

I looked back to my brothers, their expressions mirroring my own emotions. Emmett blew out a long, slow breath and finally voiced the wonder that we were all feeling at the moment.

"Fucking A, Ed. It's a chick! We haven't seen another healthy female besides Ali and Esme in over six months. Shit, what do we do?" Emmett's concern for the little female rung true.

I responded with the only answer I could. "Given our circumstances, we are going to pack up every valuable item in this office and we are going to double time it back to camp."

Jasper, who had not moved an inch since laying eyes on our new discovery, suddenly sprang into action. Ripping the extra duffles from Emmett's pack, he made quick work of emptying every shelf. Haphazardly tossing pill bottles into the bags, I had to remind him to only take bottles with labels. We couldn't take the risk of mislabeled or unknown medicine. Glancing over my shoulder at him, I mumbled, "Don't forget the Albuterol and Nebulizer. And for God's sake, try and get everything else on Carlisle's list. I swear this mad scientist bullshit is getting out of hand."

Emmett was clearing out anything of use in the front of the office, having already checked the other interior rooms for more supplies. Poking his head into the back area, he quietly asked, "Hey, Ed? How do you propose we get her back to camp? By the looks of her feet, she isn't going to be walking anywhere soon. And we're a two hour hike back to the Humvee."

We had left the Humvee hidden on State Highway 375, and hiked the rest of the way into Rachel so as not to attract any unwanted attention from the Dreg. We would be hiking back to the Humvee loaded down with our bounty and I would have to carry little B. Granted, not the most ideal situation. I sighed, looking into B's frightened eyes. " I am well aware of the precarious predicament this puts us in as well as the inevitable shit storm we are going to face back at camp. What would you suggest? Leave her here to fend for herself?"

The fresh tears and soft mewls coming from the fragile creature in front of me alerted me to just how big of a fuck up I truly am.

"Oh shit," I cursed my own stupidity. "B...I didn't mean it okay? I would never leave you behind. I will get us all safely back to camp. I swear it." Her soft cries eventually turned to light sniffles as her green eyes peered straight into my soul. "I'm going to have to carry you piggy back, okay?" She looked at me with the most curious expression on her adorable face. "You know, hoisted on my back with your legs around my waist," I explained. "But first, I need to properly bandage your feet before we hit the road. Is that okay with you?"

She slowly nodded her head in approval. While my brothers finished packing our most essential treasures in the duffles we were able to carry, I swiftly bandaged B's feet and made sure that we packed all of the items needed to fully treat her injuries back at camp. What we wouldn't be able to carry back with us was placed into trash bags and hidden above the ceiling tiles for later retrieval. Emmett was right when he said we hit pay-dirt. Unfortunately for us, our next supply run would have to be Vegas.

Jasper walked over and picked up my fully packed duffle and slung it up onto his shoulder. He would be carrying both mine and his as I had much more precious cargo to worry about. His clear blue eyes looked B over carefully. Turning to me he asked, "Why hasn't she said anything? Aside from a few little noises, she hasn't uttered one single word."

"I don't know. Shock maybe," I replied. "She seems to understand us fine. Her appearance is definitely out of sorts and I'm sure, given her injuries, she has a hell of a story to tell. We'll get to the bottom of everything once we get back to camp. I really need to get these meds to Carlisle and Ali." Looking over at B, she quickly lowered her head and averted her eyes while a beautiful pink blush graced her dirty tear streaked cheeks. I sighed, "I guess she'll talk when she's damn good and ready."

I readjusted B's hospital gown and knelt down with my back facing her. "Come on, Princess B. Up you go."

She maneuvered onto my back as quickly as possible and locked her legs around my waist, crossing her feet at the ankles to keep herself anchored. She wrapped her arms around my neck and nuzzled her nose against my cheek. A feeling of warmth bloomed in my chest. Turning my head so that I could see her eyes, I began to explain our current circumstances.

"Okay, B, here's the deal. We're about to leave this building. Now, those monsters from earlier are gone, but that doesn't mean there aren't a few stragglers running around. Although the Dreg usually hunt and travel in packs. They have horrible eyesight, but their hearing and sense of smell are enhanced. I don't expect to have any real trouble, but just to be on the safe side, we don't really talk to each other while travelling. We use a series of taps or hand gestures if we need to communicate. So, if you need anything, just tap me on the shoulder," I instructed. "Emmett will take the lead while Jasper takes the rear, sandwiching us in the middle. Okay? Once we get back to the Humvee, we will be all set. I don't want you to worry. We're going to be fine. I just really need you to stay quiet."

B nodded her head and tightened her grip around my waist. We quickly made our way back out the back door of the little office and into the alley. So far there was no sign of Dreg, all was quiet. We headed off down State Highway 375, trying to stay as close to the buildings as possible. That last horde that moved through a while ago, was headed for Las Vegas. The hordes seem to be drawn to the bigger cities, which is why our camp is further out in the desert. If luck is with us, we won't pass any Dreg moving toward the city. Once we get out onto the highway, cover is extremely limited. We have a few tricks up our sleeves to deter the Dreg should we come across some stragglers, but if faced with a horde, we would have no choice but to make a run for the Humvee. I prayed we wouldn't have to.

The hike had been mostly uneventful, The Humvee was less than a mile from our current location. I had marked out paces on the pavement with chalk on our way into town, so we would know how far away from the Humvee we were.

"Ed, man, we've got trouble," Jasper declared. I swung around, facing the opposite direction. Squinting my eyes, I could see what looked to be a looming dust cloud quickly moving toward us.

"Jasper, get the specs."

As he pulled a pair of binoculars from his pack and peered through the tiny lenses, I felt my stomach drop in anticipation of the worst. His eyes never leaving the binoculars, Jasper muttered, "Fifteen maybe twenty Dreg headed straight for our location. I wonder what's driving them. It's rare to see a horde this far out."

B tapped softly on my shoulder and pointed down towards my waist, alerting me to the fact that the bandages covering her mangled feet had become saturated and were leaving a small trail of blood in the dry desert dust. "Fuck," I breathed. "They're following us. Well...her, actually. Jasper, pass your pack to Emmett and run ahead to the Humvee!" I ordered, tossing the keys in his direction.

He caught them with precision and tucked the binoculars back into his pack. "It's going to be a close call, Ed."

"I know, just run...fast. Emmett and I will continue up the highway in your direction. We'll meet in the middle. Go. Now!" I growled, readjusting B on my back and preparing to haul ass. "B, hang on tight and do not let go no matter what, okay?"

Jasper shot off like a bullet from a gun, determined to get to the Humvee and make it back to us before those bastards reached us.

I took off right behind him, albeit considerably slower. Emmett slung mine and Jazz's duffles over his shoulders, gave one more glance behind him at the approaching dust cloud of death and decay, and took off right on my tail. Hearing his heavy footfalls behind me, I took a quick glance over my shoulder at the beauty clinging to my back. "Emmett...if I go down...just get her to the camp. I can't explain right now, but she's...important." I was already losing sight of Jasper. Looking down, I saw a comforting mark on the pavement. Three quarters of a mile to go. The Dreg were gaining, though, with maybe only a quarter mile separating us by the looks of that dust cloud. Maybe less. Fuck.

Emmett and I ran as fast as our cargo would allow. Half a mile to go. We should be seeing Jasper soon. From behind me, I heard Emmett's footfalls stop altogether and a hard thud as all three packs fell to the dirt. I swung around to see Emmett pulling his sniper rifle from his pack. "Emmett, what..."

"They're getting too close, Ed. Keep going and I'll take some down to widen the gap. Go...go!"

Round after round fired off as I turned and headed down the highway. I could see movement up ahead through the dusty haze. After another minute, the unmistakable camo paint of the Humvee came into view. A few seconds later, Jasper was skidding to a stop beside us.

I quickly unwrapped B from around my waist while opening the back of the Humvee, setting her inside with as much care as I could afford. I didn't bother fastening the belts. In a post-apocalyptic world where the former upstanding citizens now try to rip you limb from limb and eat your flesh, I find seat belts to be a hindrance and extremely counterproductive to the ultimate goal of staying alive.

I swung myself into the passenger seat and pointed down the highway from where we just came. "We have to go back for Em. He stopped to take down some Dreg and buy us some time until you got back to us. Go, hurry!"

Jasper floored the gas pedal and we lurched forward in Emmett's direction. Over the roar of the engine, I could still hear the consistent crack of the sniper rifle. Less than a minute later, we were skidding to a stop right next to Emmett, kicking up dust all around us. Jasper and I were out of our seats and loading the packs within a few seconds. Looking up, I could see that the horde was less than fifty yards and closing fast.

"Let's go! Move it!" I yelled, loading the last pack and jumping into the back seat next to a quivering B. I wrapped her in my arms and hauled her into my lap, slamming the back door of the Humvee closed. Jasper darted to the driver's side as Emmett hauled his large frame into the passenger seat. Jasper quickly threw the Humvee in reverse and pressed the gas as the horde descended upon us. Emmett grabbed his piston, lowered his window, and began firing into the sea of flesh eating monsters. As each one dropped, it seemed another gnashing, growling creature took its place.

B began screaming as oozing, decayed hands clawed at her window. I tried to soothe her as best I could while silently pleading with Jasper to get us the fuck out of here.

"Shh, B. It's okay. You're safe. We're going, we're going," I cooed, running my fingers through her hair and praying to whatever higher power was listening that I was telling the truth.

Steadily putting distance between us and them, Jasper swung the Humvee around in a half circle and floored the accelerator, racing down the highway away from Rachel and back towards camp.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hey guys, thanks for the reviews. I really hope you are enjoying the story.

The usual disclaimer applies: I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyers does. I just like to play with her characters.

EPOV

Camp, as we referred to it, was actually Pahranagat Valley High School in Alamo, Nevada, approximately ninety six miles from Las Vegas. We got really lucky in finding this place. The tiny town had decided to combine its middle and high schools into one large building. The new high school had just been completed and was being outfitted with paint, furniture, and supplies when the fever hit. Since the grand opening had been still been a few weeks out, the fencing had yet to be removed from the perimeter of the building, an added perk if I say so. It also had a fully functional kitchen and rather large cafeteria, generators capable of running electricity to the entire school, and a fantastic science lab equipped with some state of the art equipment. There was a fully outfitted nurses' station on the main floor next to the administrative offices as well, which lit Esme up like a five year old on Christmas morning. Especially seeing as there was no hospital in the area.

We stumbled upon the school purely by accident. Fleeing from the masses of Dreg in Las Vegas, we trekked further into the desert, hoping that less populated areas would bring us more safety and more time for Carlisle's research. Most of the infected journeyed to the bigger hospitals in hopes of better and faster treatments for the fever. If only we knew then, the fever was completely unavoidable and unbeatable. It decimated the human race within a few months. No one was immune. With the fever, there were only three outcomes...live, die, or become one of them. The Dreg.

They used to be our mothers and fathers, friends and neighbors. Now, they were feral creatures with one carnal need...to feed. I snorted at the idea that maybe this was just an elaborate episode of The Walking Dead. But this isn't a B rated zombie movie and these aren't zombies. These monstrosities we deal with on a daily basis are still alive...kind of.

"We're here," Jasper breathed, bringing me out of my inner ramblings. It was always a relief when we arrived back from an expedition, successful or not.

We pulled up to the outer barrier of the camp. It was fairly new, installed only about a month ago. We needed the extra security. Pulling out the remote, I pressed the button and watched as the gate began to roll on its track. Jasper pulled through and I pressed the button again, closing it behind us. We came to a stop in front of the inner gate and honked once. Victor and Jacob exited through the small door on the side, weapons at the ready, and came around to survey the vehicle and its occupants, precautions we set in place several months ago after a disastrous run in with some overzealous scavengers.

I climbed out of the Humvee first, ecstatic to have made it back in one piece. Jacob stepped around the front of the Humvee and clasped my shoulder. "Damn good to see your ugly mug again," he exclaimed, flashing his bright smile. "We didn't expect to see you back so soon. Figured you'd have to go all the way to Vegas."

Jacob was a good looking kid with tan skin, dark hair, and dark eyes, traits of his Native American heritage. His eyes twinkled with mischief, but held far too much sadness for his age. Standing two inches taller than me, his six foot two stature belied the fact that he was only sixteen. Far too young, in my opinion, to have witnessed the horrors and committed the acts he had in order to survive. He casually swung the AK 47 around to his back as Emmett exited the truck.

Jacob strode over to Emmett and shook his hand, leaning in to give him a hug as well. They had a special kind of bond considering Emmett was the one to save Jacob's ass from being eaten alive and brought him back to camp. They both walked to the inner gate to remove the chains so we could move inside the compound.

I turned my attention back to the Humvee, peeking inside at little B. "Sweetheart, its safe. Come on, I'll carry you," I cooed quietly. I snapped my head to the rear of the vehicle as I heard a loud snort from Victor.

The portly, balding man came around the back of the Humvee with a snide sneer plastered to his face. "Sweetheart?" he laughed. "You and your brother-in-law get a little..._friendly_...out there, pretty boy? What would that fuck hot sister of yours think, huh?"

This vulgar fuck literally had no idea of the fury about to be unleashed by my otherwise complacent brother-in-law approaching stealthily behind him. I raised an eyebrow as Jasper pressed his gun to the back of Victor's head, the loud click of the chambered round wiping that sneer right off Victor's face.

"Say one more word about my wife and your brains will color this parking lot," Jasper growled. "I told you three months ago...rein in that foul mouth of yours or get the fuck out. We don't need you."

Victor slowly raised his hands up by his head, his sweaty face losing all its color. "Okay, let's not be hasty here. Just fucking around, you know? Have to get fun where I can find it these days," he whined, trying to make light of his crude remarks. Judging by the look on Jasper's face, Victor may just be in danger of losing his life.

"Jasper, holster your weapon. As much as I love to see this pig squirm, we have supplies to deliver," I ordered. Reluctantly, Jasper tucked his gun away and turned to grab the duffles from the back of the Humvee. Suddenly, he was in a real hurry to get to Ali.

I turned back to little B, reaching in and placing one arm under her knees and the other arm around her back, I gently lifted her bridal style from the Humvee. She wrapped her arms around my neck and whimpered, her eyes filled with fear. I held her close to me as Emmett finally pulled the gate open. He jogged back to the driver's side and pulled the Humvee through the gate and to the front of the building. Once the truck was through, everyone's attention was drawn back to the shivering bundle in my arms.

Jacob was first to break the silence as his eyes widened in surprise. "Holy shit, Edward, is that a girl?" Jacob asked as he trotted closer. With his close proximity, B shifted in my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist and locking her ankles together at the small of my back. Chest to chest, she tightened her hold and buried her face in my neck. In this new position, my skin seemed to sizzle as I felt her heart hammering at twice the pace of my own.

_No, no, no...Don't take me from him. I am his and he is mine._

That's it, time to talk to Esme. I am truly losing my mind. I have yet to hear this beautiful creature utter a single word from her perfect little mouth and yet I would swear I could hear her soft pleas in my head. I hushed her gently as I walked through the parking lot towards the front entrance of the building. Jacob stopped mid-stride as I thrust my hand outward, halting his approach.

"Please give her some space, Jacob. She's scared enough," I pleaded.

Victor, the disgusting prick, licked his lips and snorted, "Finally, some fresh tail in this place."

Quicker than he could blink, I had one hand around his throat squeezing tightly while the other kept a hold on little B. "If you or any of the other cockroaches you associate with so much as breathe in her direction, I will end you. Got me?" I threatened, my eyes burning with the hatred flowing through my veins. "No one touches her. I mean it."

Victor nodded his head in a jerky motion, his eyes bulging slightly. I slowly released my grip and wiped his sweaty grime from my hand. Why that disgusting vermin was spared by the fever, I would never know. Turning back toward the school, I walked briskly through the parking lot with Jacob hot on my heels. Jasper and Emmett followed slightly behind, toting our bounty from our little trip, far enough back to keep plenty of distance between me and that worthless leach, Victor.

"Last one through, close the gate," I ordered, knowing that Victor would get stuck with that task. Pudgy bastard didn't like doing anything that required physical exertion. "Jacob, is Doc in the lab?"

"Yeah, where else would he be?" Jacob snorted.

I chuckled under my breath. I honestly don't know how Carlisle is still walking around. He barely sleeps and only eats when Esme forces him. I can't say I wouldn't do the same though. He was the lead researcher on the fever before the world went to hell. About eight months ago, the CDC in Atlanta sent Carlisle and his research team to Mountain View Hospital in Las Vegas, as that was where patient zero had turned up. At the time, he didn't know that every precaution he suggested was futile. Still, he feels...responsible, in a way.

"Hey guys, bring all that stuff on up to the lab. Jazz, I know you want to get back to my sister, but just give me a few minutes please. I may need someone to restrain Carlisle," I called over my shoulder, walking briskly through the front doors and up the steps to the second floor science labs. I moved quickly hoping to avoid contact with any other residents until I could get B settled.

Jasper grunted. "Are you shitting me? No way would I miss this. Carlisle is going to lose his fucking mind."

Turning left into Room 202, I finally spied the old man in front of his microscope, his back to me. I say old, but in reality Carlisle's only thirty six, though he looks older to me. I guess, the weariness of the times we live in ages a man. He must have heard me come in despite being surrounded by whirring instruments. Without looking up from his microscope, he held his index finger in the air and said, "Just a second boys."

"How does he always know it's us?" Jasper whispered. I shrugged, completely unable to answer his question.

"SEALs my ass…Like a herd of fucking elephants coming up those stairs," Carlisle mumbled.

Rolling my eyes, I carried B over to one of the blacktop lab tables and quietly set her down. I unwrapped the soiled gauze from her feet so that I could inspect the damage more closely. I'm no doctor, but I've seen plenty of wounds in the military to know the basics. Her little feet were no longer bleeding, but would definitely need to be cared for. Before I could look for any other injuries, I was interrupted by a loud "Holy fuck!"

Spinning around at the abrupt sound, I instinctively blocked little B from view. I could hear her crying softly behind me, ramping up my need to protect her. I shook my head, trying to clear it before I attacked Carlisle. I swear, this girl brings out the oddest reactions in me. Turning back to my sweet girl, I tried to calm her, but the day's activities were proving to be too much for her to handle as she broke down in wracking sobs.

Carlisle ran to his medicine cabinet, pulled out a syringe and a vial of clear liquid, and prepped an injection. Grabbing an alcohol swab, he swiftly moved to my side and uncapped the syringe with his teeth, spitting it to the floor. "This is an extremely mild sedative, it will help with the panic attack. I'm so sorry if I frightened you. It's just that I haven't seen another healthy female in so long..." he trailed off, injecting the needle into B's arm and depressing the plunger.

Her breathing evened out and her eyes began to droop. Just before she succumbed to darkness, B gazed into my eyes and raised her hand to my cheek. I gasped as I heard her whisper, "Edward, please..."

My heart clenched and I grasped her other hand tightly in mine. She finally spoke to me! "Everything will be fine, B. I promise. I won't let anyone hurt you. Rest, and I will be here when you wake," I whispered soothingly as her eyes finally closed and her hand on my cheek fell away. I caught her as she slumped forward and moved her over to the gym mat in the corner that Carlisle was currently using as a mattress. I carefully covered her with a blanket and turned back to face Carlisle, mentally preparing myself for the Spanish Inquisition.

Before he could utter a single question, Jasper and Emmett dropped their packs to the floor. "I think we got everything on your list, Carlisle, but I really need to get back to Ali. When do you think you will be by?" Jasper asked impatiently, silently pleading with his eyes for understanding.

"I'm so sorry, Jasper," Carlisle exhaled loudly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I didn't mean to be so insensitive. Of course, go to Alice. She's resting in your room. Esme has been sitting with her while you've been gone. I will be by within the hour."

Jasper slowly nodded and turned to leave the room, tugging a worried Emmett along with him.

Carlisle finally turned to look at me, his eyes holding the same awe and wonder as everyone else that saw little B. "How...what...I mean...damn," he stuttered. "I don't even know where to begin. Where did you find her? Who is she? Has she already been sick?" Carlisle fired off his questions before I even had a chance to get a word in edgewise.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa..." I whispered. "Slow down. Let me start at the beginning and I will tell you everything I know. Just be patient." I sat down on the mat next to B and stroked her hair, while Carlisle pulled up a chair next to us.

I relayed the whole story of arriving in Rachel on foot, only to find most of the buildings ransacked. How the horde of Dreg had managed to sneak up on us forcing us to take cover inside that random little building filled with supplies and medicines. Then, almost shooting little B thinking she was a scavenger against whom I would have to defend our bounty. And finally, barely escaping the horde hunting her and making our way back to camp.

Carlisle sat entranced, hanging on every word like a child listening to his favorite fairy tale. After I finished speaking, Carlisle sat quietly for a moment, staring at his hands, seemingly deep in thought. His deep blue eyes finally met mine.

"So you essentially know nothing about her? Who she is, where she came from, nothing?" Carlisle sighed. "And the first time she actually spoke was right after I gave her the sedative?"

"Yeah," I exhaled, nodding slowly. "I wish I could tell you more, but we'll just have to wait until she wakes up. I need to keep her away from everyone else for a bit. Keep her secluded and see if I can get her to open up. She seems...receptive to me." I blushed at that last statement. We had actually been damned near inseparable from the moment we met and the selfish bastard in me wanted to keep it that way.

"Well," he sighed, shaking his head in disbelief. "You and I both know what a gift it is to find a healthy female. I was beginning to lose hope for the continuation of the human species-"

"Now, hold on a minute," I interrupted, rage building inside of me. "She will not be passed around or offered up like some fucking buffet! I don't give a damn if she's the last fucking female on Earth!"

Carlisle slowly raised his hands, trying in vain to calm me down. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. You misunderstood," he calmly stated. "I simply meant that if she was out there, then there is hope that there are more healthy females as well. We just have to find them."

Shaking my head, I looked down at little B's sleeping form. Ashamed for my outburst, I quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, Carlisle. I can't explain it, but she's...important to me. She's everything."

Carlisle nodded in understanding. "I can see that. But since you brought it up, I must caution you to keep her as close as possible. We both know there are some rather...unsavory...folks here who would attempt at every turn to take what is yours."

"Yes, mine. She is mine and I am hers," repeating back the very same words I heard in my head a few hours ago.

"You need sleep," Carlisle said, rubbing his own eyes. "You are welcome to stay here in the lab with her. She will most likely be out for the rest of the night. No one will disturb you here."

I looked up at Carlisle as he rose from his chair and rummaged through the bags until he found what he was looking for.

"I don't want to take your bed-"

"It's quite alright," he chuckled. "I need to take the Nebulizer and antibiotics to Alice anyway. Then, I think I'll go visit with Esme. She won't mind."

"I bet she won't," I muttered under my breath, amused by the blush that colored Carlisle's cheeks.

"I heard that," Carlisle replied, leaving the lab and closing the door behind him.

I took off my shirt and balled it up to use as a makeshift pillow. Carlisle only had the one pillow and blanket, and I sure as hell wasn't going to take those from B. Removing my weapon from its holster and engaging the safety, I tucked it up under my shirt and stretched out on the mat beside little B. I could see the profile of her face in the moonlight streaming through the windows. She was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen.

"Who are you?" I whispered, not expecting a response, knowing the answer would have to wait at least another day. As I took in her lithe body, my eyes fell once again to her mangled little feet. I would need to get Carlisle to look at them first thing in the morning, as well as check for any other injuries I may have missed.

I rolled over to my back and closed my eyes, willing sleep to come. I was dog tired, but never got to sleep more than a few hours. The nightmares were just too much. Tonight wouldn't be any different.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Yep, another chapter. Thanks so much for the reviews.

Same disclosure applies: Twilight is not mine...

EPOV

_Eight Months Ago_

_"Em, let's go! We were supposed to meet the doc at the hospital twenty minutes ago!" I shouted across the terminal. The plane ride to Vegas was ridiculous. Ten minutes before takeoff, our pilot got sick and our plane was delayed while the airline brought in a substitute pilot. I glanced quickly over to the arrival and departure board just as all of the flights were changed to "Cancelled". My curiosity peaked, I was just about to question a passing TSA agent, when my attention was drawn back to my behemoth of a best friend._

_"I'm coming. Jeez, this place is chaos," Emmett grunted, heaving his bags onto his shoulders. Weaving through the sea of passengers, we made our way out of McCarran International Airport and onto the Hertz shuttle that would take us to our rented SUV._

_"Okay, so as soon as we get to the car, you have to explain to me again how two Navy SEALs end up in Vegas on guard duty for a hospital doc from Atlanta," Emmett whined, wiping the sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his t shirt. "I mean, fucking hell...we may as well be on the surface of the sun."_

_I had to admit, Vegas in July truly sucked. I'm not really sure what kind of pull this doctor had with my commanding officer, but it was enough for us to be recalled from our mission in the mountains of North Korea and reassigned to this civilian detail in the middle of the fucking desert. _

_"Yeah, Em. Not exactly the weather we've been used to for the last six months, but Swan wouldn't have sent us out here if it wasn't really important. All I know is we're supposed to meet this Dr. Cullen at Mountain View Hospital, and he's supposed to fill us in from there." _

_There had been some strange news coming from the Las Vegas area. Reports of sick people, mass riots, and vicious attacks. No one really knew what was going on as the president had sent in the National Guard and all news media outlets were censored to prevent panic among the population. The first Em and I heard of it was on the plane on our way to the center of this cluster fuck._

_I needed to call my sister. We had been so deeply entrenched in North Korea, that we hadn't had any contact with the outside world for over five months. Only orders from the higher ups came through. Since she lived in one of the outer suburbs of Vegas, I needed to make sure she was okay._

_We disembarked the shuttle and loaded up into the SUV, making our way through rush hour traffic to the hospital. As we parked in the underground garage reserved for security, I made a quick call to Alice while Emmett grabbed our bags. _

_"Hewow?" Jasper answered, obviously feeding his fucking face._

_"Chew, swallow...then talk, asshole. Put down the fucking sandwich and let me talk to my sister," I huffed into the cell phone. _

_"Ed! How the fuck are you? And how do you know it's not your sister I'm eating, douche?" he replied. I could actually hear the smirk on his face. _

_"I swear to all that is holy, that if you ever mention my sister and your deviant sexual conduct in the same sentence again, I will put a bullet between your eyes," I said with all seriousness. "Some things should never be spoken. Now, fucker, where is my angelic, virginal sister?"_

_"I'd like to see you try. As I recall, I scored higher on marksmanship in sniper training," he taunted, bruising my inflated ego. "And to answer your question, your sister's not here. She hasn't been feeling well lately. She seemed better today, but then I came home to a note saying she had an appointment with a doctor at the hospital. Some guy referred by that nurse friend of hers, Esme Platt. You remember her, right? She came to that bar-b-que once. Anyway, Ali should be home soon. Hey, are you stateside?" _

_"Yeah, man, Em and I got pulled for a civilian assignment. That's actually why I'm calling. We're in Vegas."_

_"No shit!" Jasper exclaimed. "Ali's going to flip the fuck out. It's been what...seven months since you've seen each other?"_

_"Yeah," I sighed, trying to rub away the ache in my chest from missing my sister. "Too damn long. I can't wait to see you guys. But look, I've got to go. We're supposed to go meet up with this Dr. Cullen for debriefing. I'll call again as soon as we're settled."_

_"Wait, wait...Dr. Carlisle Cullen?"_

_"Yeah, you know him?" I asked, confused as to how he would be familiar with a doctor from Atlanta._

_"Yeah, I mean no...I mean, that's the name of the doctor Ali is seeing today-"_

_I disconnected the call, grabbing Em by the arm and hauling ass to the elevator that would take us to the main floor of the hospital. I punched in the security code Swan gave me, impatiently bouncing on the balls of my feet._

_"What the fuck, Ed?" Emmett asked, annoyed with my rushing, as we climbed into the elevator. "No need to rip my fucking arm off."_

_"Em, Ali's up there. Jazz said she's here to see the same doctor we're here for."_

_"Fuck, are you sure?" Emmett pressed the G button on the elevator over and over. "This can't be good."_

_"Yeah. I just want to get to this doctor, find out what the fuck is going on, and then find my sister." Stepping off the elevator, we were nearly trampled by doctors and nurses wearing masks and gloves, yelling instructions over the booming voice on the PA system. The waiting room was packed with patients and gurneys lined the walls. National Guardsmen, armed with automatic weapons, were stationed at every door, including fire exits and stairwell doors. No more people were allowed entrance and no one was leaving. Looking out through the front doors, I could see a crowd of people all pleading for admittance. What the fuck was going on here?_

_We cautiously made our way to the information desk. The phone rang nonstop as the poor girl tried desperately to keep up with all of the ringing lines. Patients crowded around the small area, throwing questions and insults, demanding to be heard._

_Pushing my way through the throng of people and up to the desk, I caught the attention of the exhausted receptionist. "Dr. Cullen?" I asked, praying she could hear me over all the shouting. _

_"Are you Masen?" she shouted back. As I nodded my head yes, she threw a key at me and held up her hand with four fingers fanned out. Clamoring back through the crowd, I grabbed Emmett and made my way to the elevator. I slid the key into the slot marked for emergencies only, turning it to the right and pressing the up arrow at the same time. As soon as the elevator chimed and the doors began to open, a wave of people rushed in our direction._

_Emmett and I climbed in the elevator and immediately drew our weapons, daring anyone to try and join us. The mass of patients slowly backed away as the doors slid shut. I pressed the button for the fourth floor and breathed a sigh of relief as the car slowly began to ascend._

_"What the fuck was that?" Emmett shouted._

_"Lockdown. I don't know what the fuck is going on, but I do know that, in a lockdown situation, the elevators can only be accessed with a key. The elevator to the garage works with a pass code. It's to keep the chaos contained to one floor so the other floors can still function." _

_The elevator doors opened to the fourth floor and we were greeted by another National Guardsman holding an automatic rifle. He immediately led us down the corridor and into an empty private office. I took a seat in one of the arm chairs as Emmett surveyed the room. After a few minutes, a lanky blonde headed man in a white lab coat came flying through the door with a young blonde nurse right on his heels. He signed his name to some charts and handed them back to the nurse, shooing her out the door._

_"Oh thank God," he sighed, plopping down into the chair behind his desk. "Please tell me you're Edward Masen."_

_"Yes sir," I responded. "My comrade here is Emmett. Where I go, he goes. Commander Swan said that it was urgent that we get to you immediately. He said you would fill us in once we got here. So, can you please tell us what the fuck is going on here and then kindly tell me the whereabouts of one Alice Whitlock?"_

_"Yes, yes, the situation has become volatile, and- wait, did you say Alice Whitlock?" _

_I nodded my head, dread settling into the pit of my stomach. "She's my sister, sir," I replied. "I was told by her husband that she was coming in to see you today."_

_A look of utter horror crossed his face. "Oh God...son...I'm so sorry..."_

_"No…NO! Where the fuck is she?" I shouted, rising from my chair so fast that it was thrown back into the wall behind me, leaving a dent in the plaster. Emmett took an intimidating step towards the doctor._

_Instinctively, Dr. Cullen rolled back in his chair, holding his hands up as a sign of surrender. "Wait...just wait," he pleaded. "Let me explain. She isn't dead, just very sick. There's this virus...she contracted it...and there's is a ninety-five percent chance she won't survive it."_

_Hanging my head in defeat, I slumped back down in my chair with Emmett taking position right next to me. "Tell me everything...now...and then take me to my sister," I demanded._

_"First, call me Carlisle or Doc. Second, the reason you were brought in is to get me, and what remains of my team, the fuck out of here. I'll explain everything else on the road. It's...complicated. The virus isn't the only thing we have to worry about anymore." _

_"Fine. But we take my sister, too, or nobody goes anywhere," I demanded. _

_Carlisle nodded his head in acquiescence and looked down at his hands, his glassy eyes staring blankly._

_"When do we leave?" I asked._

_"Now."_

* * *

><p>I woke with a start, gasping for breath and covered in sweat. Sitting up, I rubbed a hand down my face and around the back of my neck. Fucking nightmares. Always the same instant replay over and over in my head of how this whole shit storm started. It was still dark out, which meant that once again I slept for less than four hours. Fuck my life.<p>

Shaking off the remnants of my nightmare, I looked over at a still sleeping B. She looked so peaceful. And I am such a fuck up. In all the excitement last night, I let Carlisle leave without giving B a good once over. Although, I have to admit that I would be much more comfortable if her assessment were performed while she was conscious. I decided to let Carlisle enjoy Esme's company a little longer, and look over her injuries myself.

Scooting down to the edge of the mat, I slowly hauled myself up and shuffled over to the sink in the corner. I washed my face and neck with cool water. Then, wetting a cloth, I ran it across my bare chest and down my stomach. Looking down at my persistent erection, I decided a cold shower over in the locker room was in my not-so-distant future.

I threw the dirty cloth to the side and grabbed a clean one for B. After wetting it, I rummaged through Carlisle's medicine cabinet until I found the antiseptic spray, triple antibiotic ointment, and more gauze. It was the best I could do at the moment. Supplies in hand, I made my way back over to the mat, grabbing a small LED lantern that was perched on the side of one of the lab tables.

I remembered removing the soiled bandages from her tiny feet last night, before I was interrupted by Carlisle's outburst. Her feet actually didn't look as bad as I had originally thought, but I didn't get a real good look. Lowering myself back down onto the mat, I moved the lantern closer to her feet so I could properly inspect the damage. But what I saw stopped me cold...there was nothing there. No mangled flesh, no deep cuts. Not even so much as a scrape or a blister.

Wiping the wet cloth over the soles of both of her feet, I only came away with dirt and dried blood. Her feet were perfectly healed. Better than healed, it was as if they had never been injured in the first place. What the fuck?

B stirred a little and mumbled something unintelligible under her breath, before rolling over onto her other side facing my direction. Tearing my eyes away from little B, I looked down at my watch. Four in the morning...Carlisle and Esme would just have to forgive me. I bolted from the room, down to the end of the hall, and stopped abruptly in front of Esme's door. Trying not to wake the other residents or alert the guys pulling guard duty, I knocked as quietly as I could, hoping it would be enough to wake the sleeping physicians. Truth be told, I could use both of their inputs.

A bleary eyed Esme slowly opened the door. "Edward?" She asked, trying unsuccessfully to wipe the sleep from her eyes. "What are you doing here? Is something wrong with your girl?"

"Get Carlisle, please...come, come...I need you both. I don't understand," I pleaded, my nonsensical jabbering waking Carlisle. I turned to run back to the science lab with Carlisle and Esme following closely behind me.

"Edward, what happened son?" Carlisle questioned as we quickly made our way back to little B.

I couldn't even form a coherent answer at that point. Pushing open the door, I ushered them both inside closing and locking the door behind me. I turned to Carlisle, wringing my hands, trying to figure out how to have this conversation without sounding like a raving lunatic. With a glance at little B's sleeping form, I jumped head first into my crazy little story.

"Okay, I need you both to just hear me out. Ever since we pulled B from the office, I've been having episodes-"

"Episodes?" Esme asked, alarmed at my confession.

"No, not episodes. More like instances…where I think I can hear B's thoughts." I flinched waiting for the inevitable backlash. None came. "I'm sorry," I continued, pacing the length of the lab. "I really thought it was just my imagination or wishful thinking or just me being too damned tired."

Carlisle stopped my little rant and asked, "What did you hear?"

"The first time was in the little pharmacy where we first found her. I was trying to calm her down and convince her I wouldn't hurt her. I heard 'I trust you' in my head. I thought it was subconscious, I mean I was trying to get her to trust me. Then the second time was when we arrived back at camp. Jacob came too close and she panicked. She latched onto me and I hear 'don't take me from him, I am his and he is mine'. After that one, I honestly thought about going to see Esme, thinking maybe there was something wrong with me."

Carlisle appeared to be deep in thought. "I am his and he is mine…" he mumbled. Looking over at me he said, "You do realize that you said something almost identical last night when you brought her in. When you were suggesting that I implied-"

"Yes, I remember," I interrupted, glancing at Esme. I held up my hands to stop Carlisle's train of thought, not wanting to make Esme uncomfortable by repeating the accusations I threw at Carlisle last night. "B's words feel like absolute truth to me. I will never belong with anyone else."

"Interesting," both Carlisle and Esme said at the exact same moment.

"But that's not even why I came to your room this morning. When we found B, she was attempting to bandage her badly injured feet. They were so damaged, that she couldn't walk on her own. I had to carry her. It was those bloody bandages that lured the horde back to the Humvee," I explained.

"I don't understand," Carlisle interjected. "When you brought her in last night, she didn't appear to be badly injured. I knew there were some bloody bandages, and I may have been a bit preoccupied, but surely I would have noticed injuries as severe as you let on."

"That's my point! Come look!" I dragged both Carlisle and Esme over to the mat where little B slumbered away, unaware of our perplexing conversation. I carefully removed the blanket displaying the perfect porcelain soles of her feet. "I was so angry with myself this morning for letting you leave last night without cleaning and redressing her feet that I decided to do it myself. This is what I found. How is this possible?"

"I don't know," Carlisle sighed. "Let's let her wake up and then we'll figure this out."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I am so excited about the response I am getting for my little story! Thank you so much!

Standard disclaimer still applies: I do not own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does.

EPOV

As the sun rose on the horizon, filling the science lab with a warm glow, we waited patiently for little B to wake. Carlisle tossed out theory after theory on her advanced healing, until finally admitting ignorance, for which Esme and I were incredibly grateful. Conjecture was idiotic at this point. Grabbing my shirt, I pulled it over my head as I got up from the mat. I couldn't sit still anymore, pacing the length of the lab, back and forth, like a caged lion hungry for its next meal. My stomach chose that exact moment to make itself known, growling loudly as if attempting to eat me from the inside out.

"Goodness," Esme giggled. "I haven't even thought about food," her chuckles turning into full on belly laughs. The tense atmosphere seemed to wane as her infectious giggling caught on to the rest of us. Carlisle's eyes twinkled as he leaned over and gave her a kiss to her temple.

My own laughter stopped abruptly as Carlisle's stomach gave an answering cry to my own. At that, our bouts of giggles began anew. Wiping warm tears from my eyes, I settled back down onto the mat, grateful that the mood had been lightened.

Carlisle stood from his chair, stretching his spine and moving his head from shoulder to shoulder, a clear indication the old man had been sitting too damn long. "I'll go down to the kitchen," he yawned, looking over at Esme. "We could all use some breakfast. When she wakes, she'll probably be more comfortable with another woman in the room, so you should definitely stay here."

He looked pensive for a moment before continuing, "I'm positive it was my presence last night that set off her panic attack." He stumbled over to the door, unlocking and opening it just a crack to make sure the coast was clear. Looking back at me he issued a stern warning. "By now, everyone in this camp knows that there is a new female among us. Until she can tell us what the hell is going on, she doesn't leave your side. Understood?"

I nodded my head in agreement as Carlisle ducked out the door, heading straight to the kitchen to forage for our breakfast.

Esme looked down at me with a warm, motherly smile. "It's nice to see you care so much for this girl. I don't know what her story is, but I'm glad she will have you here to support her, whatever comes."

"She's so innocent. Caring about her is as natural as breathing," I whispered, slowly stroking B's long chocolate locks. She finally began to stir, responding to my movements. B slowly opened her beautiful green eyes, blinking away the sleep, and looked up at me as if trying to decide if I was real or not.

"Edward," she sighed in contentment.

"I'm here and you're safe," I responded. "Can you sit up for me?"

Pulling herself up into a seated position, she turned her legs sideways and tucked her feet underneath her hospital gown. She looked a bit uncomfortable and hesitant under my penetrating gaze.

I winced, chastising myself for neglecting the fact that she would probably like to get cleaned up. That hospital gown was definitely a lost cause. "Listen sweetheart, we have some breakfast coming for you. Once we've all eaten, we'll get you cleaned up and into some more comfortable clothes. Do you hurt anywhere?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

As I expected, she slowly shook her head no, looking down at her lap sheepishly. Finally realizing there was someone else in the room, her head whipped around toward Esme, her breaths becoming quick and shallow.

"Easy, little B," Esme coaxed, trying to stave off the impending panic attack. "Take deep breaths for me, okay? My name is Esme and I promise I won't hurt you. You're safe."

She climbed over into my lap wrapping her bare legs around me and burying her head into my neck. Without my consent, my cock began to stir with her constantly wiggling. God, the things this girl does to me. Willing my erection down, I rubbed soothing circles on B's back.

Esme gave me a knowing smirk and sank slowly down to the floor, approaching us as you would a wounded animal. "B?" she whispered. "I promise everything's going to be okay. I just want to talk to you for a bit."

Looking up from the crook of my neck, B began to apologize as fat tears rolled down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" she repeated over and over, breaking my heart in two.

I placed my index finger under her chin, lifting her face until I could look her square in the eyes. "B, it's okay. You haven't done anything wrong. Please calm down."

Slowly, B finally calmed to the point that she could turn and look at Esme. She eased off of my lap and back down to the mat, her eyes never wavering. "You won't hurt me?" she asked.

"No…never," Esme responded truthfully. "You have no idea how happy we are that the boys found you before the Dreg got to you."

"The Dreg?" she asked, her brow wrinkling in confusion. "You mean those people that were hunting us?" she asked, looking to me for confirmation.

"Yes, but they aren't people anymore, sweetheart," I answered. "How is it that you don't know what the Dreg are? It was all over the news channels before the reporting stopped."

"I…I don't know," she mumbled, twisting her fingers nervously. She looked up at me through her thick lashes. "I guess I need to explain myself, but I don't want you to be afraid of me or send me away."

Grasping her tiny hand in mine, I took note of her perfect fingertips where yesterday they were torn and bloodied. "Yes, we need to talk, but I don't want to you to worry. I know that you were scared and overwhelmed last night and even though we have only just met, please know that there is nothing you could say that would make me leave you."

Her eyes filled with tears as she brought her hand to my cheek, caressing lightly. "My name is Bella…"

"Oomph!" I cried out, suddenly finding Bella back in my lap as the lab door swung open, hitting the wall with a resounding thud. A remorseful Carlisle stood in the doorway, trying to balance an entire buffet on the tiny cafeteria tray. Esme scurried up from the floor and rushed to help him.

"We have trouble," Carlisle announced. "Hurricane Alice is on her way up here and she won't be deterred."

"Dammit all to hell," I muttered under my breath.

A few seconds later, my elfin sister burst into the room with Jasper and Emmett in tow. Hands on her tiny hips, she stopped halfway into the room and leveled me with her silent glare. "How could you Edward? After everything we've been through together-"

Within the blink of an eye, Bella was out of my lap, taking a defensive stance directly in front of me. The sweet, scared little B I knew was gone and in her place was a ball of pure fury.

"NO!" she screamed, hands balled into tiny fists at her side. "He is mine! You will not take him from me!"

_My mate. Mine. Mine!_

Her mind chanted that phrase over and over. Jumping to my feet, I reached out to take Bella's hand only to find her skin ablaze with heat, her little five foot four frame quaking with rage towards my sister. Jasper quickly placed himself in between Alice and Bella, trying in vain to diffuse the situation.

"Now let's just everybody calm the fuck down-"

Before Jasper could even finish his sentence, Bella thrust her hand to the side, tossing Jasper into the adjacent wall.

"Jasper!" my sister cried out, rushing to where her husband lay crumpled on the floor. She began sobbing loudly in relief as Jasper sat up, shaking his head in disbelief.

I spun around facing Bella, stepping directly into her path and shielding Alice from view. With my hands on either side of her face, I did the only thing I could think of. I leaned down and tenderly kissed her. Hesitantly, I pulled away, hoping I hadn't just crossed a line.

Bella's eyes cleared and her anger dissipated as quickly as it came. Looking up at me confused, she whimpered, "Edward?"

"Please, Bella, please calm down. I don't want you to hurt my sister. Please," I pleaded.

"Sister? Oh God…sister…Rosalie…" she muttered before fainting dead away. Catching her in my arms, I quickly placed her back down on the mat and gestured for Carlisle to come attend to her. Angry with my Alice for inciting the argument, I marched over and stood directly in front of her. Even though she's small at five foot two, my sister could stand toe to toe with me any day.

"What the fuck, Alice?" I seethed. "Could you honestly not wait until we came to you? It's not like you were never going to meet her."

Still sniffling quietly, Alice had the good sense to at least look ashamed. "I'm really sorry if I upset her. I didn't mean to. I just got so excited when Jasper told me this morning! And then he told me I had to leave you alone," she snorted. "Like that's even possible."

Grasping her tiny shoulders, I pulled her into a fierce hug, hoping to muffle the sound of her incessant rambling. "Pixie, please stop. Look, I'm sorry I didn't come to see you last night when we got back," I apologized. "Things have been…confusing."

"It's alright. I understand, sort of." She wiped the tears from her eyes and turned back to her husband, who was being helped to his feet by a very confused and excited Emmett.

"She didn't even touch you, man," Emmett whispered to Jasper. "Just swept her hand in the air and you went flying! It was totally an X-Men move!"

Carlisle snapped his fingers in my direction. "She's coming to," he stated, gently lifting her wrist to check her pulse. Looking over to my brothers and sisters, he gestured to the door. "Perhaps you three should leave us for a bit. B…I mean Bella…seems a bit overwhelmed. Let us make her comfortable and then we'll come find you."

Abashed, my family filed out of the room one by one. Alice turned back to look at me, silently pleading for forgiveness. Nodding my head in her direction, I mouthed a quick 'I love you' before she turned to leave.

Bella bolted to an upright position, immediately searching me out. I was by her side in an instant, smoothing her hair away from her face and urging Carlisle to give us some space.

"Edward, I'm so sorry! I didn't know she was your sister. I only saw her as another female that seemed too familiar with you. I couldn't stand it…you're mine," she trailed off, breaking down into quiet sobs.

I pulled her into my lap shushing her quietly. I couldn't have her getting that worked up again. We needed answers. I motioned for Esme to come sit next to us, hoping her comforting presence would help calm Bella as well, while Carlisle sat quietly behind one of the lab tables.

"Bella, sweetheart? I know that you are confused and overwhelmed, but I really need you to explain what just happened." I tried to keep my voice calm and even, so as not to distress her any further. "Let's start over," I suggested.

With a quick nod of her head and a deep shuddering breath, Bella began her story again. "My name is Bella Giovanni and I am twenty one years old. My father is Marcus Giovanni-"

"The Marcus Giovanni? The missing scientist? The leading expert in genetics and DNA research? That Marcus Giovanni?" Carlisle interrupted in a rush.

I shot him a scathing look, telling him to shut the fuck up and let her continue.

"I don't know so much about the missing part, but my father is a geneticist. My mother is Didyme and I have a sister named Rosalie. She's my identical twin. Although we look nothing alike, we do share the same DNA. We have been living in a…compound…of sorts. Underground."

"For how long?" I asked, curious as to my girl's origins.

Looking down at her fingers as she picked at the frayed edges of her hospital gown, she quietly whispered, "My whole life."

Esme gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth, surprised by the answer my Bella had given. "Had you never been topside before now?" she asked quietly.

Bella's head snapped up, a look of shock on her face. "Oh, no, no…Rosalie and I went topside quite often. The compound actually runs directly under that little town you found me in, Edward," she said turning her head to look at me. "Rachel, I believe it's called? We used to go up and play with some of the children who lived in that town. We hadn't been up in a few years though," she trailed off, as if caught up in a memory.

Shaking her head, she continued. "Anyway, the compound is quite large, encompassing a range of approximately 68.4 miles. We have a whole research team that lives down there as well as an impressive military presence. My father's brothers, Uncle Aro and Caius are in charge of general population, the guard, and government liaison."

A horrific scenario was beginning to develop in my mind as the clues were coming together. If the compound runs under the town of Rachel and continues for 68.4 miles, then that would also include the military base known as Area 51, an infamous military installation. I did not like where this conversation was headed.

"I'm confused," Esme mumbled, bringing me out of my dark thoughts. "If you've lived in this compound your whole life, where did you go to school? You sound so well educated. You mentioned general population. Were there families and teachers down there?"

"I…don't know," she answered hesitantly. "We were taught by my mother and father. The only interaction we had with other children was when we were allowed to go topside for a few hours every few weeks. Rosalie and I have both worked in the labs since we were thirteen. As children we were kept pretty isolated."

"That sounds incredibly lonely. I'm so sorry," Esme whispered, her eyes brimming with unshed tears, hurting for the small girl in front of her.

Bella shrugged absently, again fiddling with the frayed edge of her gown. "It was okay, I guess. Rosalie and I had each other. The experiments were the worst."

"You performed experiments?" Carlisle asked, growing more curious by the second.

"We did perform some experiments, yes. But mostly we were the experiments," Bella whispered.

Loud gasps echoed around the round, my worst fears coming to fruition. I pulled from Bella's strong grip and jumped to my feet. Gripping fistfuls of my hair, I paced around the room, trying unsuccessfully to regain my composure. Carlisle joined me in my march, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder, eventually pulling me to a stop.

"Let's hear her out, son," he soothed. Pushing my shoulder in Bella's direction, he led me back over to reclaim my seat beside her.

Shame and embarrassment stained her cheeks as salty tears fell from her eyes. "I know I'm not…normal. Rosalie and I aren't normal, never have been. When we were young, it was just little things starting out. We were stronger and faster than most adults, and we never got sick. We also healed quicker than normal. After we reached maturity, our abilities began to escalate, so we became more isolated."

"Is that why your mother and father moved the two of you underground? To protect you?" Esme asked.

"No, we were born there."

Carlisle cleared his throat loudly and announced to the room, "I don't know about anybody else, but I could certainly use a break. I'm sure Bella could, too. The breakfast I brought up is probably cold, but still edible."

"I can fix that!" Bella exclaimed, jumping to her feet. She skipped over to the lab table where our food sat, forgotten since the abrupt confrontation this morning. Placing her hands on either side of the metal cafeteria tray, a soft pink glow appeared as the food on the plates began to steam, its temperature rising as the heat diffused from the metal tray to the ceramic plates.

Releasing the tray, she looked back over her shoulder at all of our stunned expressions, her happy expression falling as our mouths stood agape.

"Sorry," she mumbled as she backed away from the table. "I forget, not everyone is used to seeing the things I can do." Clearly embarrassed, she shuffled back over to the mat and plopped down, her hunger forgotten.

Shaking off my stupor, I walked over to the tray of food, admiring the warmth rising from the scrambled eggs. Grabbing two of the plates and silverware, I returned to Bella and joined her on the mat, sitting Indian style with our food between us. I scarfed down the eggs while Bella munched lightly on the bacon, our moods lifting as our bellies filled.

Esme and Carlisle sat at the lab table with the remaining food. While Esme slowly picked at her breakfast, Carlisle had removed the final plate and was examining the metal cafeteria tray.

"Carlisle!" Esme hissed, looking at him pointedly. "Take a break and eat your breakfast."

Rightly scolded, Carlisle sat the metal tray on the table and attacked his breakfast ferociously. Looking over at Bella, Carlisle mumbled, "Fo ets oot asie metph-"

"Carlisle," I interrupted. "Chew, swallow…then speak."

Gulping loudly, he looked to Bella with a sheepish grin. "Sorry," he said, ducking his head, trying to hide the embarrassment that bloomed on his cheeks.

Bella let out the most adorable giggle. "It's alright, what were you asking?"

"As I was saying, let's put aside the metaphysical aspects for a moment. In regards to your education, what have you been taught down there?" Carlisle asked, trying to draw out more information on my girl's upbringing.

Smiling widely, Bella replied, "Lots. Rosalie and I both learn at an accelerated rate, so we study all the time. I can speak Italian, Spanish, Russian, French, and Lyra fluently."

Carlisle looked at me with a puzzled expression at the mention of the language "Lyra". Meeting his gaze, I slowly shook my head begging him not to question her further on that particular aspect. I had my own theories about Bella that I preferred to discuss with him in private.

"My math and physics skills are excellent," Bella continued, oblivious to mine and Carlisle's silent exchange. "And Marcus has been training us in his field of genetics and human physiology, although, most of the analysis has been performed on our own DNA."

It was odd listening to Bella speak. She was obviously extremely intelligent, knowledge that far surpassed my own and possibly even Carlisle, but she seemed so childlike in her answers. I chalked it up to the sheltered life she lived down in the compound and turned my attention back to her list of accomplishments, proud of my girl never the less.

"What about history? Current events? Social studies?" Carlisle asked.

"Rosalie and I studied quite a bit in those areas, but our access to some information was…restricted." Bella looked almost ashamed of her lacking knowledge in these areas. "We learned the basics about government, how each country was formed and ruled. We studied the major events throughout history. Geography was a little sketchy, though."

Esme added, "Perhaps your father simply wanted to keep the whereabouts of your compound a secret. Restrict access to that knowledge about that geographical region."

If my instincts about Bella were correct, that was precisely the reason why she had limited knowledge of this particular area.

As we finished up our breakfast, Esme collected the dirty dishes and folded up the blankets used the previous evening. Appraising Bella's appearance, she turned toward me with a motherly look of concern.

"I think that's enough for now," Esme stated, hauling Bella up from the mat. "I'm taking Bella back to my room for a bit. I think I have some clothes that will fit her and I want to take her to the private shower in the teacher's lounge. I think she needs a little more privacy than the locker room allows. We can pick up with Twenty Questions once she's showered and dressed."

"Twenty questions?" Bella asked in a confused tone. "That was way more than twenty, wasn't it?"

Chuckling at her bewilderment, Carlisle explained, "Twenty Questions is a game people play when they want to get to know one another, an ice breaker of sorts."

"Ice breaker?"

"Never mind him, Bella. I will explain later," I said, shaking my head. I placed a kiss to the back of her hand and passed her to Esme. "Don't worry. Esme will take care of you. You'll be back in my arms before you know it."

"Okay," she murmured, heading towards the door to Esme.

"Wait! Bella, one more question if you please?" Carlisle asked. "Purely precautionary."

"Sure."

"Even though you were secluded in your compound, I'm sure you are aware of the virus that swept across the planet and the devastation left in its wake." Carlisle stated.

"Yes, I am aware," she mumbled.

"Have you already been sick from the fever?" he asked.

An odd, almost remorseful, expression crossed Bella's face as she looked toward me before answering Carlisle's question.

"No," she replied. "No, I can't contract the virus. It came from me."


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thanks you for all the reviews and sorry for the last cliffy, but…it's only going to get worse. Having said that, I believe every good story deserves a fuck awesome shower scene…

As always, I do not own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does.

EPOV

"Fuck," I breathed, still trying to process the day up to this point. A three quarters empty bottle of scotch sat on the lab table in front of me. With trembling hands, I reached to refill Carlisle's empty glass before dumping the remainder into my own.

"Thanks," he said quietly. We hadn't spoken much since Bella left with Esme to get cleaned up, almost an hour ago.

A soft knock on the door alerted us to an unexpected visitor, Emmett's head appearing as the door creaked open. "Is it safe to come in?" he asked, his broad grin making his dimples more defined. "I was just making sure Super B wasn't going to kill me for coming in."

A large shove to his back and Emmett hurtled into the room almost crashing to the floor. Righting himself, he turned back toward the door. "Fuck you, asshole," he said as Jasper made an appearance in the now vacated doorway, arms folded across his chest, chuckling at his own foolish antics.

My fist pounded the table as I turned abruptly to face them both, my anger skyrocketing. Before I completely lost my shit, Carlisle placed a restraining hand on my shoulder.

Gesturing to the two empty seats across the aisle, he said, "Boys, please sit. We have a lot that needs to be discussed."

"Where's B?" Emmett asked, pulling both stools over to our table.

"She went with Esme to her room and then the teacher's lounge to get cleaned up," Carlisle replied, scooting his own stool over to make room.

As my brothers took their seats, I gulped the rest of the liquid fire in my glass. Steeling myself against the inevitable onslaught of questions, I looked to Carlisle for reassurance.

His eyes never wavered in his determination. "They need to know, Edward. We need to make plans and figure out what our next step is. With her knowledge, she could be an immense help-"

"Stop, just stop," I pleaded, lowering my forehead to rest on the tabletop, hoping its coolness would ease the dizziness and near constant pounding that had taken up residence in my brain. I wasn't angry per se, I was scared and worried. There was so much that we still didn't know. Bella's declaration before leaving with Esme sent us into a tailspin of epic proportions, but before we could question her further, Esme ushered her out of the room.

Lifting my head, I met Jasper's gaze. "Where's my pixie sister?" I slurred.

"Are you drunk?" he accused, taking into account my flushed face and glassy eyes. "Fuck, Carlisle, how much did you let him drink?" He took my glass from my hand and sniffed at the amber residue. "Scotch? Really?" slamming the glass down onto the table, making me wince.

"Jasper, stop. You have no idea-"

"Don't tell me to stop, Carlisle!" Jasper argued. "Alice is down in our room castigating herself for the misunderstanding earlier." He slid the glass across the table until it thumped into the center of my chest. "And here this asshole is getting snockered."

"I'm sorry-"

"I don't want your fucking apologies, Edward," Jasper interrupted, laying his hands flat on the table. "That girl of yours is incredibly special, but so is mine. I came here to make sure you and little B were okay, but also to beg you to come and see to your sister. She's incredibly upset."

"Alright, enough," Emmett piped in. "Jasper, shut the fuck up. And you," he said, pointing at me from across the table, "sober up and let's hash this shit out. Now fill me in."

For the next twenty minutes, Carlisle summarized our previous discussion with Bella, starting with her parentage, voluntary seclusion, and advanced intellect. When he mentioned Bella's twin sister, Rosalie, Emmett's head snapped up, a look of utter shock on his face.

"You mean there's another one? The same as Bella?" he asked, his burning curiosity consuming him. Carlisle nodded slowly.

Running a hand through his coarse black hair, Emmett sighed loudly. "So we go get her then, right? I mean, Bella escaped, but we need to go get her sister, too." Rolling my eyes, I sighed. Leave it to my best friend, the hero to all women.

Carlisle shook his head no. "We don't know exactly what happened to Bella or how she ended up in that pharmacy. She has some blanks to fill in. Until we know what we are dealing with, we do nothing."

Crestfallen, Emmett nodded his head in acceptance.

"What do you think Bella meant when she said the virus came from her?" Jasper asked. Up till now, he had been listening patiently, processing all of the facts as they were told to him.

"I have my own theories, but I need more information from Bella," Carlisle responded. "I would rather not make assumptions on that subject until I have all the facts."

Nodding his head, Jasper continued, "Shall we address the elephant in the room then?"

"Hey! I take offense to that," Emmett chuckled, flaunting his bulging bicep muscles and making kissing noises to each one.

Slapping Emmett's chest, Jasper snorted. "Not you, idiot. I was referring to Bella's…abilities." Looking back to Carlisle, he asked, "Do we even know what she is, exactly?"

"She's MINE…that's what she is," I shouted, slamming my hand down on the tabletop, my stern tone leaving no room for argument.

"Alright, man, settle down. I meant no disrespect," Jasper offered, holding his hands up in submission. "You need to know that everyone knows she's here now. Victor and James have already started plotting ways to get her away from you."

"How the fuck do you know that?" I demanded, seeing red.

Jasper and Emmett shared an awkward glance, but it was Emmett that answered. "I helped Alice get Jasper back to their room this morning after his run in with Bella. We were passing by the first floor janitor's closet, when we heard that weasel, Victor."

Pink stained his cheeks as he looked down at the table, obviously embarrassed. "I mean, we all know there aren't any other women here but Alice and Esme, ever since Lauren was killed. I just thought that maybe old Vic was getting his jollies with one of his close buddies, you know?"

Lauren Mallory had been one of the nurses to escape Las Vegas with us in the beginning. Let's just say she immensely enjoyed the company of men…multiple men. When we got settled at camp, Lauren took it upon herself to make sure all the men, present company excluded, were kept…satisfied. The men, in return, passed her around like the church offering plate. Unfortunately for them, she met her demise by way of threesome outside the first gate, along with Tyler Crowley. Mike Newton was the only one to escape that Dreg encounter with his life, only to hang himself in his room a month later. Suffice it to say that the lack of female companionship had made some of the other residents a little feisty…and adventurous.

"Oh, Emmett…" Carlisle sighed, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I didn't want to actually see anything," he mumbled. "Bastard deserved to have the shit scared out of him is all."

"But it was James with Victor," Jasper continued, giving Emmett a moment to cool the flush on his face. "Apparently, Victor has informed anyone willing to listen that Bella is the hottest piece of ass he's ever seen. Sorry dude," he looked to me apologetically. I waved my hand at him, dismissing the comment and urging him to continue.

"Anyway, James has decided that she will be his…by any means necessary," Jasper finished quietly.

"Edward, son, this only reaffirms what we discussed earlier. It's no longer safe here," Carlisle urged. "We need to leave."

"Leave?" Jasper asked, panic rising in his voice. "Where would we go? Ali is only now recovering from that respiratory infection. Is it safe for her to be out there, not knowing where we will end up?"

"Safer than here at this point," I muttered. In addition to Victor and James, there were ten other people currently living here, six of which were James' cronies, hanging on his every word and following his every order. Two of the guys were pretty nomadic. They stuck around because there's safety in numbers, but had no real loyalty to anyone. Then there was Jacob and his twelve year old brother, Seth. If we left, we would definitely be taking Jacob and Seth with us.

"We'll need to talk with Bella first about what you are planning," I sighed, not knowing how comfortable she would be with Carlisle's new idea.

As if she knew we were speaking of her, Bella bounced through the door towing my sister by the hand. Esme followed behind carrying a few changes of clothes, presumably for Bella.

Bella looked clean and fresh, wearing a tight pair of yoga pants paired with a plain, white, long sleeve t-shirt and black running shoes. The shoes I recognized as Ali's, but the rest looked new. Her long locks were tied back into a pony tail, leaving her beautiful face unobstructed. Her cheeks reddened under my perusal, as she approached our table.

"Glad to be clean, sweet girl?" I asked, holding out my arms in invitation. Letting go of Ali's hand, she threw herself into my lap, nodding enthusiastically.

"Yes, and I apologized to your sister. She came looking for Esme while I was in the shower," she explained, trying to dodge my tickling fingers.

I nuzzled my nose into her neck, breathing in her strawberry scent. "I'm glad, sweetheart. Alice really meant no harm. She was angry with me," I reasoned. Bella began to wiggle in my lap, either in an attempt to get comfortable or drive me insane, I'm not sure which. Regardless of the reason, my cock stiffened, and I had to shift her to the side a bit to keep from scaring the poor girl.

Looking down at my lap and then back up to my eyes, her blush reappeared in full force. "Sorry," she whispered. "I didn't know, but Esme told me-"

"Ahem! Why don't you girls get comfortable, we have some things to discuss," Carlisle interrupted, trying to stifle the snickers coming from my brothers. Esme's slap to the back of each of their heads shut them up immediately.

"Sorry," they both said in unison.

"I'd like to speak to Edward a moment in private if that's alright," Esme asked, looking determinedly at me from behind my brothers.

"Uh…sure," I said, scooting out from under Bella. I joined Esme over in the corner where Bella and I had slept the night before.

"I'm not quite sure how to start this conversation, so I'm going to just jump right in," Esme began in hushed whispers. "Bella's description of how she was raised down in that compound got me to thinking about just how 'innocent' she is. So I asked. Look, I don't want to make this awkward-"

"Just spit it out Esme," I replied, staring at the floor, knowing exactly where this conversation was headed.

"She's a virgin, Edward. Completely innocent to all things sexual," Esme continued. "I thought you should know. She's obviously studied human anatomy and is aware of the mechanics of sex, but her and Rosalie were kept fairly isolated and were never left alone with the military men. Well…almost never."

My head snapped back up at that last statement, eyes blazing. "Explain," I demanded.

"Not my story to tell, sweetheart," she whispered sympathetically, patting my cheek. "Just talk to her when you are alone, okay?"

"Not that I'm ungrateful, but…what brought this on?" I asked, concerned. "She seemed fine this morning. Did I do something wrong?"

"Heavens, no, nothing like that," she quickly assured me. "It's just that, when she was arguing with Alice, she forcefully claimed you as hers, but then seemed incredibly confused when you kissed her. I just wanted to make sure that she was alright, that's all. Just promise you'll talk with her before going any further in a physical relationship."

Nodding I bent down to kiss her cheek. "Thank you, Esme," earning me a smile in return.

We returned to the group to find Bella and Carlisle an in intense conversation regarding DNA structure and genetic coding. I picked Bella up, settling her back into my lap, and wrapped a strand of her ponytail around my index finger.

Bella plucked my other hand from my lap, squeezing it tightly, before turning back to Carlisle. "Just ask your question, Carlisle," she sighed in annoyance.

"Alright, what exactly do you know about the virus and what did you mean earlier when you said it came from you?" Carlisle asked, folding his hands in his lap to await her response.

Taking a deep breath, Bella closed her eyes and began her explanation. "As I said before, Rosalie and I had various abilities from an extremely early age; strength, speed, agility, slower aging, and accelerated cell regeneration being the most pronounced."

"Accelerated cell regeneration?" Emmett asked, clearly confused as to the terminology.

"Extremely fast healing," Carlisle answered. Nodding in understanding, Emmett turned his attention back to Bella as she continued her account of events.

"We had been studying the origin of these abilities within our DNA strands. However, my Uncle Caius was unconcerned with how the abilities came to be, only how they could be used going forward for financial gain." Bella paused, as if trying to decide how to proceed. "Caius and Aro began to perform more experiments on our DNA, extracting larger test samples of genetic material."

She looked at me shaking her head, tears welling in her eyes. "I swear we didn't know," she whispered. Looking back to Carlisle, she continued, "Through their tinkering, they concocted a…serum…of sorts."

"Serum?" Carlisle questioned.

"Yes, a serum that promised increases in speed, strength, and longevity by one hundred fold," she exclaimed.

Carlisle exhaled a long gust of air. "That would be extremely dangerous in the wrong hands."

"Uncle Caius held a meeting with a high ranking U.S. government official, where they discussed payment in exchange for vials of Serum BR42," she uttered, squeezing my hand again for support. Turning to look at me, she cried, "We didn't realize what was happening until the testing had already begun. They brought in a group of five soldiers and injected them with the serum. For eight days, my uncles along with the government officials waited patiently for the serum to do something…anything. Once it became clear to everyone that the experiment had failed, the soldiers were released from confinement. I didn't see their faces again until Rosalie and I saw the news reports on the first confirmed dead from the virus. Putting two and two together, we came to the only logical conclusion, that the virus was directly related to the serum created from our DNA. We immediately began working on an antivirus, but we were too late. It spread too fast."

"Do you recall when the soldiers were released from confinement?" Carlisle asked, trying desperately to put the clues together.

"April 15 was the last day I saw those soldiers alive," she cried, turning to straddle my lap and burying her face in my chest.

Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose, reciting numbers that meant nothing to the rest of us. "That's it," he finally exclaimed looking up at all of us. "That's where I came in."

Perplexed, I asked him to please elaborate.

"The CDC sent me to Mountain View Hospital in Las Vegas on May 5 to access the condition of three soldiers, who originally presented with fevers of unknown origin. There had been five soldiers admitted, but two of them passed away prior to my arrival. The remaining soldiers were put into quarantine after that, but the damage was already done. The virus…it was unlike anything I had ever seen," he said, hanging his head. "It was completely undetectable up until the moment the patient spiked a fever. The fever itself was unrelenting, reaching temperatures as high as 105.6 degrees."

"I don't understand, Doc," Emmett interjected. "I was always taught fevers were a good thing. It's the body's way of killing whatever it's infected with, right?"

"Normally, you would be correct, Emmett. The hypothalamus in the brain regulates the body's temperature, but this virus essentially shorts out the hypothalamus. The brain cooks as the fever rises. The only part of the brain left unaffected is the brain stem, the part that regulates heart rate, breathing, eating, and basic motor skills. The brain stem is considered to be the most primitive part of the brain."

Understanding finally dawned on me as I knowingly looked at Carlisle. "The Dreg," I whispered.

"Yes," Carlisle confirmed, staring back at me intently.

Bella looked up at me, worry clouding her face. "I still don't understand what the Dreg are, exactly," she admitted. "We had some…problems…in the compound and stopped receiving news reports once the virus hit. Will you explain?"

"Carlisle can explain it better than me, sweet girl," I whispered, soothing the wrinkle that appeared between her brows. Looking over to the good doctor, I asked, "Carlisle, please continue?"

"Of course," he responded. "As you know, if a person has prolonged exposure to the virus, the brain is unable to recover. The fever quite literally cooks the brain. At this point, in most cases, the patient would die. However in some cases, the patient neither recovers nor dies. Instead, they awake, incredibly fast and strong and angry, with only primal instincts governing their actions. They feed on flesh, be it human or animal. They have even been known to feed on each other if a fresher food source cannot be readily located. We call them the Dreg."

Bella gasped, closing her eyes and shaking her head. Her entire little body began to quake. "Oh God," she cried to no one in particular. "It mutated. The serum bonded with their cells the way it was supposed to, but their bodies couldn't handle the changes in DNA. The cellular bonds broke down."

"Yes," Carlisle agreed. "I now believe that is exactly what happened. The original cellular degradation caused the virus to mutate in order to survive. It became airborne and spread…everywhere. It infected everyone."

"Okay, let's back up a second," Jasper pleaded, rubbing his face briskly. "Why did the virus kill off the majority of women?"

"That's because of me also," Bella answered. "As you are aware, men have an X and Y chromosome where as women have two X chromosomes. The Y chromosome is what makes a male…well…a male. So, since the human species requires two chromosomes, the second X chromosome that women have is really just an inactive copy."

"Okay, I follow you. Biology 101, right?" Jasper laughed.

"Essentially," Bella chuckled. "Here's where we differ. My second X chromosome is active. It's one of the driving forces behind mine and Rosalie's abilities. Given that, women who contracted the virus couldn't survive the cell degradation, because their second X chromosome wouldn't function as it did in my body."

"So then how did Esme and Alice survive?" I asked, looking down at my smart girl.

"Mutation," she shrugged. "It's bound to happen."

Esme stood from her seat and walked around behind Carlisle, placing her hands on his shoulders and massaging gently. "I think that's enough for now. All this brain activity is staring to smell," she said, the corners of her mouth turned up in a small smile.

Turning to Carlisle with a mischievous grin, my girl asked, "Does that answer your twenty questions?"

"Yes, sweetheart," Carlisle laughed at Bella's joke. "My twenty questions are up. Your turn."

"Good!" she clapped. "I have lots…but first, I'm hungry."

"Oh! Me, too!" Emmett shouted, jumping up from his seat and grabbing Bella's hand to pull her from my lap. "Let's go rustle up some food, shall we?"

Bella jumped up and down in place, seemingly relaxed and happy for the first time since arriving to camp, almost tripping on an untied shoelace. As she bent down to tie her shoe, my cock twitched at the sight of her perfect little ass in the air. I adjusted myself as Emmett gave me a knowing smirk.

"Problem there, Eddie?" Emmett asked, chuckling lightly.

Bella immediately straightened, turning to face me. "Are you alright? Is something wrong?" she asked, flitting her hands around my shoulders.

"Nothing a cold shower won't fix, sweetheart," I murmured, grasping her hands in both of mine and pulling her down to kiss her cheek. "You guys go find something to eat. I think I'm going to grab a shower. Bring me back something, will you?" I asked Emmett.

I grabbed a change of clothes and headed for the door. Before I could leave, Carlisle grabbed my arm to stop me. "Boys, before everyone goes their separate ways, I would like to readdress what we were discussing earlier. I would really prefer it if no one goes anywhere alone."

"Awe, the buddy system, Carlisle? Really?" Emmett whined.

"Just as a precaution," Carlisle explained. "I don't trust James or Victor. I wouldn't put it past either of them to take the women by force, but to do that, they would have to get through us. Let's not take any chances until we can make some decisions about leaving, hmm?"

"Fine, fine. Buddy system it is, then. Ed, I'll go with you to the showers if you give me a minute," Emmett offered.

"That's okay, Em. I'll go," Jasper stated. "You take the girls and Carlisle to get some food. I need you to stop by Jacob's room, too. Tell him we need to talk later."

With a quick kiss to my girl's forehead, I turned and headed for the door with my personal escort. The gymnasium and subsequent locker rooms were just outside of the rear of the school's main floor, attached by a short breezeway. We descended the back stairwell to the main floor, and headed out, keeping an eye out for any unwanted company.

The locker room was quiet and utterly deserted. Grabbing a towel, I dropped my clean clothes on the nearest bench and stripped off my t-shirt, throwing it to the floor under the bench. I bent down and unlaced my boots, pulling them off and shoving them under the bench as well along with my socks. My jeans and boxer briefs were the final articles of clothing to go.

"AAHHH! My eyes!" Jasper screeched, having gotten a full view of my lily white ass.

"Whatever, fucker," I chortled, turning on the water and stepping into the cold stream. "Like you've never seen a bare ass before."

"Your sister's-"

"If you value your life, you won't finish that sentence," I said, pointing towards the doorway. "Go shoot some hoops or something. I'll be out in ten minutes."

Jasper turned and left, muttering something about nudity and family. The familiar slap of rubber on hardwood echoed through the room as I turned my attention back to my shower. Eager to get back to my girl, I quickly soaped up my body and washed my hair. I was going to have to see if Esme could give me a haircut soon. This shit was getting way too long.

I sighed as I looked down to my persistent erection. Taking matters into my own hands…literally…I grasped my cock and began to slowly stroke up and down, twisting slightly at the head. My breathing became erratic as I pictured my girl on her knees in front of me, her beautiful mouth wrapped around my hard cock. Pumping faster and faster, I moaned, imagining her taking me all the way to the back of her throat, swallowing around me. With a loud groan and a final twist of my wrist, my orgasm washed over me. Coming in long spurts, I braced myself against the white porcelain tiles, breathing hard.

Footsteps echoed through the locker room, as I struggled to regain my composure.

"I'm almost done, Jazz," I shouted, quickly rinsing under the lukewarm spray.

"I'd say so," James hissed, his sinister chuckle bouncing off the subway tiles.

Spinning around, I quickly spotted him about ten feet away, leaning casually against an open locker with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Enjoy the show, you sick fuck?" I asked, reaching for the towel on the bench to my left and wrapping it around my waist.

"Not nearly as much as I'm going to enjoy banging that fine piece ass you brought home yesterday. I bet that pussy is so sweet-"

"I'll kill you if you touch her!" Lunging for his throat, we toppled to the floor in a heap, my fists flying as rage consumed me.

Pain seared across my abdomen as the sudden sensation of cold metal met my overheated skin. Looking down at the handle of the hunting knife protruding from under my ribs, I was shocked at how difficult it was to draw in a breath. Black spots appeared before my eyes, as I fell backwards with a watery plop.

Scrambling to his knees, James appeared above me, grasping the handle of the knife and twisting it slowly. "She's mine…" he sneered, as I slowly slipped into unconsciousness.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Glad everyone enjoyed that last chapter. Not that this isn't completely expected, but let's hear from Bella shall we?

As always, I do not own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does.

BPOV

Emmett skipped playfully between Alice and me, holding our hands like we were best girlfriends, while Carlisle and Esme trailed behind us, snickering at Emmett's foolish antics. I really liked Emmett. He was what I always imagined a brother to be like. Big, strong, and protective, but also soft, sweet, and caring – an almost impossible mix.

Upon our arrival at the kitchen on the first floor, Emmett began to fidget nervously. While the room seem deserted, he still checked every door, cabinet, and pantry. Once he was sure our little group was alone, he finally turned to me, questions blazing in his big brown eyes.

"So…" he began, a sheepish green accenting his cute dimples.

"So?" I repeated back, hoping to draw out his question.

"You have a sister," he stated in a very matter-of-fact tone.

"I do," I whispered, pain flaring in my heart at the mere mention of the sister of left behind. "Rosalie. She's brilliant, beautiful, and strong willed…everything I'm not." Tears flooded my eyes at the thought that I may never see her or my parents again. "She's always been the better twin."

Swooping in to wrap her arms around me, Esme cried, "I'm sure that's not true, Bella. You are beautiful and strong, and definitely smarter than any of us here, Carlisle included."

Carlisle scoffed in amusement, his eyes twinkling with mirth. "I wouldn't go that far," he mumbled, trying to lighten the somber mood.

Emmett barreled over and wrapped his huge arms around both me and Esme, squeezing us together in an Emmett sandwich. Carlisle and Alice watched the exchange, amused at our predicament.

"Can't…breathe…Em," I managed to squeak out, tapping him on his massive shoulder to get his attention.

"Oh, sorry little B," he apologized, finally releasing us from his grip.

"Now…about this sister-"

"Emmett!" Esme hissed, slapping him on the back of the head.

Feeling a bit lighter, I sighed, "It's okay, Esme." I turned back to Emmett and wrapped my arms around his waist. "What do you want to know?"

He shrugged his shoulders, suddenly shy and childlike. "I guess I just wanted to know about her. I mean, you're fuck awesome and she _is_ your sister…" he trailed off.

I flashed him a smile of gratitude. "Well, I'll start with the basics, then. Rose is exactly three minutes older than me. She is also two inches taller with long blonde hair and blue eyes-"

"Wait, I thought you said you were identical twins?" Carlisle interrupted. "If you truly share the same DNA, then she can't have different eye and hair color."

"I am aware, Carlisle, but Rose is…special. An anomaly, if such a thing can even exist with us," I countered shifting my gaze to the floor. "In order to truly understand, you would have to meet my mother. It's not something I'm comfortable speaking about."

"Alright, fair enough," he sighed. "I'm sorry if some of my questions make you uncomfortable. I'm just trying to understand."

I moved to take the empty chair beside Carlisle as Emmett trotted into the walk-in pantry in search of food, goofy grin firmly in place. Smiling at his silliness, I realized that not everything had to be so serious.

Trying to ease Carlisle's distress, I placed my hand over his. "Your questions don't make me uncomfortable. I know I'm different and you're curious. There are just some things that are too complicated to try and explain at this point. But, I promise I will do my utmost to answer your twenty questions to your satisfaction."

Chuckling at my joke, the stress in Carlisle's eyes faded and the familiar look of inquisitiveness filled his features once more. "Okay, twenty questions it is."

Emmett returned with a tray stacked with dried jerky, crackers, and a whole cooked chicken, albeit cold from refrigeration. Setting the tray down along with several cans of warm soda, he took his seat next to me.

Carlisle fired off his first question, "Does your sister share your same abilities?"

"Yes," I answered, smiling at the memories of me and my sister in frequent competitions with one another to see who was the fastest or strongest. "We both share the same attributes that you have already witnessed, plus others. As I said before, we are still evolving. Our abilities grow every day."

"This morning you were able to heat a metal tray with your bare hands. Can you tell me how?" Carlisle asked. His questions seemed rehearsed, almost as if he were working from a checklist.

Amused, I crossed my legs while I pondered the answer. "To an extent," I said. "What you saw this morning was a transference of energy. No more no less."

Shocked by my answer, Carlisle begged, "Please elaborate."

"I can raise my body temperature at will and localize that heat or cold to my hands. The heat simply traveled from my hands to the tray, thus heating the porcelain plates and by extension the food. Transference of energy," I reaffirmed.

"Amazing," he mumbled. "And the fast healing?"

"Again, transference of energy," I replied. "Except, for healing, I transfer energy to the affected areas from other unaffected areas in my body that don't require so much energy, stimulating the damaged cells to regenerate."

Emmett sat in stunned silence through my explanation, his food barely touched. Suddenly, coming out of his stupor, he wrapped his mammoth arms around my shoulders and proclaimed, "Sweet! Super B!"

Shaking his head at Emmett's uncanny ability to turn a serious discussion into a comic book, Carlisle continued, "Edward mentioned…something. I'm hesitant to ask, but I'd really like to know. It may be more…personal…in nature."

My curiosity piqued, I nodded my head, consenting for him to continue.

Hesitantly, Carlisle stammered, "Edward mentioned, that at certain times, he seemed to be able to…hear your thoughts."

"Oh, I hadn't realized…" I trailed off, embarrassed at the thought of Edward hearing me.

"Is that another ability? Can you transmit your thoughts into someone else's mind?" Carlisle asked in a rush.

"That would be awesome!" Emmett exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air.

"Ah, no…not an ability. It's actually…a mate thing," I whispered.

"Mate?" everyone questioned in unison.

"Um…yes, Edward's my mate," I answered, dreading the inevitable conversation to come. "I recognized the pull instantly, even though I had never experienced anything remotely close."

"Wait…does Rosalie have a mate?" Emmett asked, insecurity clouding his innocent features.

Shaking my head, I answered, "No. Our contact with men was…restricted."

Looking at me worriedly, Esme muttered, "You're going to have to explain this a bit more, little one."

Sighing wearily, I looked around at the people sitting next to me. I was about to divulge more of myself than even my own uncles knew. My father knew of the mating process because he was my mother's mate, and they in turn shared their experiences with me and Rosalie, with a warning that those living topside should never know.

I heard my mother's voice as clear as if she were sitting right next to me. "Humans can accept other humans with special abilities. After all, mutation happens often in nature. But, as a society, they will never accept a hybrid…"

Esme's warm hand covering mine pulled me from my memories, planting me firmly back in the present, with the people I was quickly beginning to consider family. Looking at me with shining eyes, she said, "It's alright, sweetheart. No one here is going to judge you. We all accept you for who…and _what_…you are."

Taking a deep breath, I resolved to share as much as I could, without compromising my mother or sister. Not that I thought my new family would ever hurt us, but some secrets are better kept locked away.

"Please understand," I pleaded, "I can't tell you everything…yet, but I will tell you some of what was taught to me and Rosalie." I sighed, looking down to the table to gather my thoughts. "Because of my and Rose's _aberration_, we are genetically coded to one specific male, our _mate_. Our bodies are designed to recognize the mating pull. It's instantaneous and irrevocable. Only death can break the mating bond."

"You know as well as I do that the phenomenon you speak of exists in nature," Carlisle interjected. "Surely you've studied other animal life. It's common knowledge that swans mate for life. The same has been suggested for other species as well…wolves, bald eagles…even some types of fish."

"But never in humans," I countered. "Your society views monogamy as a recreational sport."

Emmett barked out a laugh. "Oh, little B. For having lived your whole life in seclusion, you sure have us pegged."

Alice snorted and muttered, "…men." She and Esme burst into a fit of giggles, leaning against one another for support.

I instantly felt the blush rise to my cheeks. Embarrassed at my rash comment, I looked away and whispered, "I didn't mean to imply…it's just different for us is all."

"Please elaborate," Carlisle implored.

"The genetic code in my body instantly recognized the genetic code in Edward's body, as if we were perfectly engineered for one another. This allows for some…perks…I guess you could say. I can't project my thoughts to anyone, but because Edward and I are mates, we can hear each other's thoughts and feel each other's emotions…at least partially. I've been able to pick up some of Edward's emotions in moments of…_distress_, but I wasn't aware that he had already heard my thoughts." I sighed, shaking my head. "I wish I could talk to my mother right now. She would be able to help me figure this out. When she mated with my father, the telepathy and empathy were extremely slow to develop. This seems too fast."

"I suggest you address this with Edward sooner rather than later. I feel obligated to tell you that he was quite out of sorts over the whole ordeal. Even I was beginning to think the fever had done irreparable damage to his brain," Carlisle snickered, his shoulders shaking in amusement.

I nodded, resolved to speak to Edward about our connection tonight. Bewildered by Carlisle's easygoing reaction, I looked around the table and asked, "You all aren't shocked or repulsed by my differences?"

"Sweetheart, in the thirty plus hours that we've known you, we have seen you do some amazing things," Carlisle said, sincerity shining in his eyes. "Shocked? Yes. Repulsed? Never."

Emmett and Alice bobbed their heads in agreement, while Esme wrapped me in a motherly embrace. As she wiped the tears from my eyes, she said, "You are a part of this family now. In the eight months I've known Edward, he has become a son to me. As his mate, you are a blessed part of that package, quirks and all."

I breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that such caring and understanding people had come into my life.

"So, about Rosalie-"

"Emmett, son, give it a rest," Carlisle muttered.

I sat back in my chair, relishing in the easy dynamic of this family. But there was a nagging question lingering in my mind, something I had been meaning to ask from the very beginning, but always found myself off task.

"Carlisle," I asked, "you said earlier that you thought the fever had done too much damage to Edward's brain. Are you saying that Edward contracted the virus at some point?"

A look of confusion crossed his face before answering, "Yes, of course. We all have."

"Oh," I responded. "I guess I just assumed that there would be people out there immune to this virus or some who had not yet contracted it." My analytical brain began to formulate questions as to why some recovered but most didn't. What was so special about this group of people, that they could overcome the fever and not be destroyed by it?

As my mind worked over the new possibilities, a sudden sharp pain blazed through my body, finally settling just below my rib cage. I grunted in pain, doubling over, unable to breathe properly.

Everyone seemed to scramble at once, unsure of what was happening. Carlisle fell to his knees in front of me, his hands gripping my shoulders tightly. "What is it, Bella? What's wrong?"

Drawing in as much air as I could, I cried out, "Edward!"

Understanding dawned on his face as he turned to Emmett. "Edward was going to the showers, yes?"

Holding a crying Alice, Emmett nodded, "Yeah, but what…of fuck!" Spinning around, he sprinted for the door leading outside, drawing his gun as he went.

Carlisle pointed to the double doors leading back to the stairwell and looked pointedly at Esme. "Take Alice and go find Jacob! Stay with him until I come for you. Go now!" he shouted.

Esme bolted from the cafeteria, Ruger in hand, dragging a nearly hysterical Alice behind her.

"Bella, can you walk?" Carlisle asked, pulling me to my feet. "We need to get to Edward."

Nodding, I pushed aside the pain and grabbed Carlisle's arm as we headed for the same door Emmett exited only moments before. Racing down the walkway, we were a mere six feet from the gymnasium doors when they burst open to reveal a beaten and bloody Jasper, his left arm completely limp and hanging useless by his side as his right hand gripped the chrome edge of the bright red door.

I stopped in my tracks as Emmett emerged carrying Edward, unconscious and barely breathing. A gym towel was bunched at his midsection, saturated in blood and covering most of his nudity. The ivory handle of a knife was visible, peeking out of the top of the mass of cotton.

"NO!" I screamed, all pain forgotten as I rushed to Emmett's side.

"We need to get him upstairs, now!" Carlisle ordered, everyone running towards the main building.

Trying to jostle Edward as little as possible, Emmett sprinted through the double doors heading for the front stairwell.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Emmett cursed, making his way quickly up to the second floor two steps at a time, and through the door of the science lab.

Gently laying Edward down on the closest lab table, Emmett backed away slowly, pulling the roots of his hair with bloody fingers. "Tell me what to do, Carlisle," he pleaded. "What can I do?"

Carlisle nodded towards the door and shouted, "Go get Esme! I need her now! I sent her to Jacob-"

Before he could complete his command, a frazzled Esme rushed through the lab door followed immediately by Alice, Jacob, and Seth. At the sight of her brother laid out on the table, Alice broke down into wrenching sobs, crying his name over and over. She looked frantically around the room searching for Jasper, launching herself at him the moment their eyes met.

Emmett grabbed Jacob, pulling him to one of the other lab tables. The two men worked together to maneuver the heavy table against the door to serve as a barricade. Looking over to Jasper, Emmett asked, "You're sure they took off, Jasper?"

"Yes," Jasper nodded, "they both took off through the front gate. I got Victor in the leg, but I imagine he and James headed out to meet up with the rest of their buddies. Those other assholes were out hunting, so I'm not real sure how long we have."

With a quick nod in understanding, Emmett began gathering weapons while he instructed Seth to begin boxing up any supplies that weren't currently being used.

As the others worked to secure the room against hostile intrusion, Esme immediately jumped into action, handing Carlisle his stethoscope and grabbing the supplies she needed from the closet in order to start an IV. I stood at the opposite side of the table, shock and disbelief coloring my thoughts.

As Carlisle listened to his lungs and took his pulse, I unwrapping the towel from Edward's midsection in order to examine the entry angle of the knife. "Carlisle, we have to remove the knife," I said, my monotone voice sounding foreign in my own ears.

"He has decreased breath sounds on the left and his pulse is thready. He's lost a considerable amount of blood and I believe he has a punctured lung," Carlisle concluded, whipping the stethoscope around the back of his neck. "I'm going to pull out this knife and you are going to apply pressure to slow the bleeding, okay?" Carlisle instructed, handing me a stack of towels Esme had pulled from the closet.

The moment Carlisle pulled the knife from Edward's abdomen, the persistent crackling sound confirmed a collapsed lung. I immediately pressed on the gaping wound, but blood bubbled up between my fingers regardless. "Dammit!" I hissed as I heard a rib crack under the tremendous pressure I was exerting. Easing up slightly, I shifted over a bit so that Esme could squeeze in beside me. She swiftly inserted a needle between two of his ribs to draw out the air collecting in his chest cavity.

Carlisle breathed a sigh of relief as the collapsed lung began to inflate, quickly moving on to inspect the stab wound. "I can suture this," he proclaimed, "but I'm worried the blood loss may be too great. His lips are blue and his pulse is getting weaker."

"Can't you fix him, Bella?" Alice wailed from the corner, as I darted over to the supply closet. "Heal him like you heal yourself…like we talked about downstairs!"

"It doesn't work like that, Alice. I can heal myself, but not other people," I cried, emerging from the closet with fresh tubing and two more IV needles. Placing the supplies by Edward's head, I quickly whipped off my shirt and tied a tourniquet around my lower arm, pulsing my fist to raise my arteries to the surface.

"What are you doing, Bella?" Carlisle asked, alarmed by my actions.

"He needs a transfusion, Carlisle. We can do a direct transfusion from my radial artery to his median cephalic vein. I can regenerate blood faster than his body can take it," I explained as I attached one end of the tube to the butterfly needle.

"Edward has a rare blood type," Jasper interrupted. "Not even Alice can donate to him."

"I am his mate, we are compatible in _every_ way," I hissed, gritting my teeth against the anger and despair.

Esme grabbed the other end of the tube, attaching the second butterfly needle, then wiping it down with an alcohol pad. I grabbed another alcohol pad and swabbed my wrist area. Before inserting the needle into my artery, I looked at Carlisle, begging him silently to trust me.

Nodding his consent, Carlisle took the needle from Esme and slipped it into the vein in Edward's elbow as I inserted my own needle into the artery in my wrist. As the crimson blood flowed from me to my mate, Esme kept constant pressure on his wound.

Once the blood around the laceration began to clot, Carlisle quickly sutured the gaping hole closed, and prepped an injection of Amoxicillin to hopefully stave off any infection.

Two and a half hours later, the blood transfusion was complete. Carlisle had given Edward some morphine, so he was still unconscious but resting peacefully. The color had returned to his cheeks and lips and he no longer had that sickly pallor to his skin. We waited patiently for him to wake.

Jasper sustained a dislocated shoulder and some bruises to his head and back from the attack. Luckily, no bones were broken and Jasper only had to sport a sling for several weeks.

We hadn't spoken much about the events that transpired in that locker room. We wanted Edward awake so he could give his version of the attack. We also hadn't heard a peep from the rest of the camp, which led us to believe that James was plotting something, having been thwarted by Jasper in the locker room.

But all of our speculation came to an abrupt halt an hour later…when Edward spiked a fever of 105 degrees.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Hello again! I was really excited to get some reviewers that said they heard about my little story from A Different Forest. Thank you so so much for the reviews and rec's.

As always, I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does.

EPOV

My lungs burned from lack of oxygen as I tried desperately to draw a full breath. Struggling to remember the details of my predicament, I caught brief glimpses like Polaroid pictures, one brief flash and then it was gone. A single moment of euphoria in the shower, James appearing from nowhere casually perched against a locker, a sickening crunch as my fist connected with his jaw, the steely stab of cold metal through hot flesh twisting in my gut, pain so intense I could do nothing but succumb. These little snippets repeated on a loop in my overheated brain.

"…punctured lung…blood loss…remove the knife…"

I was drowning in a sea of fire, black flames licking at my chest and stomach. Searing pain roared through me once more as the cool metal was yanked from my yielding body, a bee sting to my side, and I could breathe once more. I felt the cold seeping under my skin as my mind drifted to a world where there was no virus.

_Round with our first child, Bella waddled through the house calling for me. "Edward? Edward…"_

"Edward…rare blood type…Alice…donate…"

_Warm sunshine, Bella beaming her beautiful smile as she gazed up at me. "My mate…"_

"My mate…compatible…every way!"

My mind drifted further, more stinging, my make believe world faded away as a bloom of warmth blossomed in my chest. Then, blessed darkness took me. My Bella, I love you. I'm so sorry.

"…one-oh-five, Carlisle…random infection…"

The fog in my brain seared away by an immense heat. Too hot…too hot. My body felt weighted, anchored by steel cables. The conversation around me becoming clearer, yet I was still unable to move or open my eyes.

"Look and tell me what you see, Carlisle," my angel demanded.

"I'm not sure what I am seeing is possible. The antibodies left in his body from the virus are attacking your blood like it's an antigen, coating the red blood cells, marking them for destruction. But it isn't working the way it should. Instead of destroying them, his cells are _bonding_ with yours," Carlisle said.

Humming in agreement, my angel replied, "I've never seen this, Carlisle. I just don't know what's going to happen."

"Is he going to turn into one of them?" my sister screeched from somewhere to my lower left.

"I don't know," my angel whispered.

The heat within me blazed on as my mind sharpened, becoming more focused. Softer sounds heightened as my hearing intensified, and I could smell the salt from my girl's tears as the fell down her face. Yet, I was still unable to move, unable to wrap my arms around my Bella to comfort her as my body craved.

Another bee sting in my arm, only this time I recognized it as the prick of a needle.

"I have to check again," Carlisle murmured.

Gasping in surprise, Carlisle exclaimed, "Bella! The cells are regenerating!"

The scraping of stool legs across linoleum, like nails on a chalk board, drilled into my brain, frustrating me to no end.

"Can you feel anything from him?" Carlisle asked.

"Anger, frustration-"

"Oh, God!" Alice gasped from across the room. "He _is_ turning into one of them," she cried softly.

"Shut up, Alice," my angel hissed, "I didn't say that. I said he's angry and frustrated. He probably doesn't understand what's going on and the morphine hasn't worn off yet, so he can't wake up. You would be angry, too."

My fingers twitched, aching to reach out and sooth her. She was right, I was frustrated. The heat had burned through me, fortifying my muscles into iron. Immense strength flowed through me in rivulets of molten lava, and yet…I couldn't move an inch. Frustrated was putting it lightly.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Jasper cursed. "James and his flock of degenerates have returned. I see old Victor survived after all."

Multiple clicks sounded throughout the room, as guns were pulled from their holsters. But it was the mention of that bastard's name that finally released my bonds. My eyes flew open as a snarl ripped from my throat, reverberating around the room. Within the blink of an eye, I stood directly facing Bella, her small body caged within my arms against the wall.

The barrels of two guns pressed against the back of my head, as Emmett chanted, "Please, please, please…"

Alice sobbed, huddled in the corner, while Esme desperately hushed her. But none of that made any difference to me. All I could see was her, my Bella.

For the first time, fear _of me_ clouded her eyes, as she shuddered at my close proximity. Running my nose up the column of her graceful neck, I filled my lungs with her strawberry essence. I really wasn't trying to scare her, but she smelled so…damn…good.

"Sweetheart, like I told you at that pharmacy…I won't hurt you, I swear it," I whispered, my lips a mere breath from hers, tasting her on my tongue.

"Edward?" she whispered, tears streaming down her face.

"Oh thank fuck!" Emmett roared, lowering his weapon and pounding me on the back. Before his next breath, Emmett found himself turned and pinned with his back to the wall. Dazed, he looked at my hand holding steadfast to his wrist, keeping him immobile.

"What the hell, Edward?" he yelled, trying feebly to pull his arm from my iron grasp.

"Please be careful, Emmett," I pleaded, my eyes never leaving Bella's beautiful face. "I'm not sure I'm quite under…control…of whatever this is."

"Edward?" Bella asked again, both of her hands finding their way to either side of my face, looking intently into my steel gray eyes. "My Edward?"

"Yes, sweetheart, your Edward," I whispered before crashing my mouth to hers. Releasing Emmett's wrist, I wrapped both of my arms around her minuscule waist, lifting her from the floor slightly while my tongue traveled the seam of her lips begging for entrance.

Sighing, her plump lips parted, tongue tangling with mine in the most beautiful dance. Her taste exploded in my mouth and I was lost in her. Bella's strong arms wrapped around my neck, holding me like a vice in place, as her long legs wrapped around my waist.

I pushed my girl into the wall, grinding my cock into her warm center, looking for any friction to ease this ache. The drywall cracked behind her shoulders under the stress of our sheer exertion, plaster particles wafting around us like a flurry of snowflakes.

"Ahem," Carlisle cleared his throat loudly in an attempt to politely garner my attention, failing miserably.

"Yeah, fucking ahem, Edward," Jasper reiterated. "I know you need to see your girl, but we've got trouble coming."

At that last comment, my attention snapped back to Jasper and our current situation. I slowed my kiss with Bella, ending with several small pecks to her pouty little mouth. Leaning my forehead against hers to look into her beautiful eyes, I whispered, "We'll pick this up later, yeah?"

Nodding her consent, Bella slowly lowered her legs until her feet touched the floor. Her breathing was still erratic, her eyes hooded with lust. She licked her lips as she breathed, "Yes, later, please…" That last word drawn out in a desperate plea.

Backing away from her, I suddenly noticed my near nakedness, a white pair of boxer briefs being the only thing covering my ass. Jasper tossed me a t-shit, pair of jeans, and shoes. I dressed myself and adjusted my engorged cock in my jeans before turning to Jasper. Taking in his appearance for the first time since waking, I noted the sling on his left arm and the bruises running long his neck and face.

"What the fuck?" I asked, somewhat taken aback by his appearance.

"Stupid fucking Victor got the drop on me, man. How that fat, slimy fuck can sneak up on anybody is beyond me," Jasper explained, shaking his head in disbelief. "One minute I'm shooting hoops, the next I'm laid out with that with that dumb fuck standing over me with a baseball bat in one hand and a knife in the other. I wrenched the knife away, but not before the bastard dislocated my shoulder." Chuckling under his breath, he said, "Nicked him pretty good in the leg, though. He took off like a stuck pig. I would've followed, but I could hear you and James in the locker room. I came in just as he was twisting that knife-"

"I remember the rest," I huffed, holding up my hand to halt his gory replay.

The double doors of the main entrance on the first floor banged loudly against the walls, echoing through the halls, alerting us to the chaos about to descend upon our little family. Emmett, Carlisle, Jacob and Esme began quickly reloading clips and sheathing knives as Jasper ushered Alice and Jacob's brother, Seth, into the supply closet. Leaning down, Jasper landed a heated kiss to my sister's lips before turning his attention back to the arsenal we had laid out on the table.

I strode over to Alice and kissed her on the forehead, discreetly placing a pistol in her hand at the same time. "You don't open this door for anybody but me, understand?"

Nodding, she quickly flipped the safety on the gun and backed her and Seth into the closet. "I love you, take care of Jasper," she whispered before closing the closet door and locking it from the inside.

I turned my attention back to the occupants of the room, "I need everyone to be quiet a moment, please."

As the noise quieted, I let my heightened senses expand out almost like a web. I could smell the sickly sweat from James and three others as they ascended the stairwell in the furthest right hand corner of the wing. I found Victor coming up the far left stairwell, presumably alone. His unmistakable stench was the only one I could detect in that corner.

Voices wafted to my ears in soft whispers. "Are you sure Masen's dead?"

James snickered and replied, "Oh yeah. I cut him good. By the time Jasper yanked me off of him, that fucker was lying in a pool of blood. No way he survived that."

"You don't think the others will be a problem?" one of his cronies asked.

"Nah, Jasper's pretty useless with that fucked up shoulder, and that just leaves Emmett and Carlisle. We can take them, no problem. Then, it's an all you can eat pussy buffet, boys."

"Fuck yeah," they all murmured in anticipation.

"It's a good thing they never knew what really happened to that slut, Lauren. Girl could handle two cocks like a pro, but make her take eight at once…" James trailed off, leaving a sick image in my head.

"Didn't know you could fuck a girl to death," one of his idiot friends piped in. "But now that we know, let's do it again," he snickered as the others joined in.

"Leave Masen's girl for me, boys," James instructed. "She's mine. I'm going to fuck her to pieces. Almost wish I hadn't killed that asshole so he could watch her bleed for me."

A tidal wave of rage within me threatened to crest. I was barely able to restrain myself at hearing those words from that foul beast. He would die tonight, even if I had to rip this whole building down to get to him.

"Don't touch me," I warned as Emmett moved to place his hand on my shoulder, concern darkening his features. His hand stopped midair at my demand, his eyebrows raised in question.

Looking around the room, I announced, "They intend to kill the men and take the women…by force." Chuckling darkly, I added, "Idiot fucker thinks he killed me."

Carlisle gasped, "How do you know-"

"I can hear them," I interrupted, annoyed at having to explain myself. "I can smell them too. James and three others coming up the east stairwell and Victor sneaking up the west stairwell…alone," I said pointedly, looking directly at Jasper.

The swift nod of Jasper's head indicated he understood what I was implying, a murderous glint in his eyes.

Carlisle seemed dumbfounded by my revelation, rooted to his spot on the floor. Shaking his shoulder briskly to gain his attention, I snapped, "Hey! We'll discuss the science later. Right now I need you to stay here with Bella and Esme. Guard these women with your life."

"No!" Bella hissed, "I'm coming with you. You'll need my help." Realizing that I was about to protest, she stopped me with a kiss. "Please, Edward. I almost lost you once. Don't make me be without you again."

Lowering my head in defeat, I linked my fingers with hers and pulled her over to our stash of weapons. Handing her a gun, I asked, "Have you ever fired a gun before?"

"Of course," she answered, rolling her eyes at me. "I'm also a black belt just in case you were wondering."

"Super B…I fucking told you!" Emmett exclaimed, fist pumping the air.

Intrigued by her reply, I bent to kiss her lightly. "We will explore that later, but now we have to go," I whispered, placing one hand at the small of her back as we headed for the door to the lab. With the other hand I reached for the heavy lab table being used to barricade the door, pulling it away as if it weighed nothing at all.

"Whoa," Emmett and Jasper both breathed in unison.

"You two head over and take care of Victor. We," waving my finger between Bella and me, "will take care of James and his cronies."

Nodding in agreement, my brothers squeezed through the door, heading to the west stairwell. I prayed they didn't have too much fun ending Victor.

With Bella's hand grasped tightly in mine, we moved silently down the hall towards the east stairwell. I could tell that all four men were three steps from the top, inching along the wall stealthily.

We ducked into one of the other classrooms approximately twenty feet from the mouth of the stairwell. My plan was to come out behind them as they passed. So we waited patiently as the degenerates arrived to the top of the stairs and began to creep down the hall at a snail's pace. Adrenaline surged through my veins as thoughts of torture gleefully pranced through my head.

Bella's hand accidentally brushing against my cock brought all of those dancing ideas to a screeching halt.

"Sorry," she whispered, looking away sheepishly.

Lust tore through me like a howling tornado, taking with it any semblance of restraint. With a gasp from her beautiful mouth, I pulled her into my arms and hoisted her up to wrap her legs around my waist. Carrying her over to the teacher's desk, I sat her on the edge, spreading her legs wide.

"You have to be quiet, sweet girl," I whispered, planting a kiss to her button nose as her blush spread across her cheeks, down her neck, and to the top of her V-neck t-shirt. In my mind I imagined that blushed continued down to the very tops of her pert breasts. I would find out later for sure, but now I only had less than a minute to make my girl feel good. Of course, our time constraints would not allow us to finish our explorations, for that I would need…time. But I could at least give her a little taste of what was to come.

Licking her lips, she looked down wistfully at my cock, hard as steel and about to burst through my zipper. Shaking my head, I pulled her eyes back up to mine. "Not now, sweet girl. No time," I whispered.

Moving to stand in the cradle of her thighs, I gripped her hips and slowly rolled her against me, my jean covered cock sliding up against the wet heat seeping through her yoga pants, letting her feel all of me.

She threw her head back with a gasp and closed her eyes, a look of complete ecstasy on her angelic face. As I rolled and rubbed continuously against her sweet spot, her tiny hands gripped my hips, pulling me closer.

_Faster_.

I quickened my pace in answer to her silent plea, grinding my hips against her. "Fuck, you feel so good, Bella."

_God, yes, Edward! I'm…close…ungh!_

"Me too, sweet girl. Let go," I pleaded as her orgasm tore through her, triggering my own. I groaned quietly, unable to slow my twitching cock, as I eased her down from her splendor.

As the final shudders quaked through her little body, I slowed my pace, relishing in the aftershocks zinging through me. The pleasure was exquisite…_she_ was exquisite.

Her beautiful green eyes peered at me through her lashes. "You heard me," her statement sounding more like a question.

"Yes sweet girl, I did," I affirmed, rubbing my thumb along her lower lip. "But we will discuss the implications later, okay?" I offered my hand to help her hop down from the desk and we made our way back over to the door.

I chuckled at the thought that our entire encounter only lasted forty five seconds. There was definitely something to say for the increased speed, but I would have to work on the endurance.

Peeking out the door, I saw our intended targets inching along the wall, lined up like ducks in a shooting gallery. And yet, I couldn't shoot them. We all carried guns, but they were only used as a last resort. Gun fire made too much racket, attracted too much attention from the Dreg. No, this would have to be up close and personal.

A pulpous, gurgling groan met my ears joined by the potent rust smell of spilled blood, a good sign that Victor had messily met his end. James carried on down the hall toward the science lab, unaware of the puddle gathering under his deceased friend in the west stairwell. Before he could take another step, my raging form blocked his path. I grasped him by the neck, lifting him clear off the ground, his feet left dangling…trying to find purchase. Spittle flew from the vermin's mouth, as he attempted to form words, but was unable to take a breath.

"Sucks not to be able to breathe, huh?" I hissed, as his face turned from crimson to puce.

Flitting to my side, Bella glared at the other men behind James, daring any of them to step forward. With one sweep of her hand, all three tumbled down the hall, end over end, like tumbleweeds blowing across the open prairie.

Looking down at my girl, I said, "You know you're going to have to show me how to do that sometime."

"With pleasure," she hummed.

"What…the fuck…are you?" James managed to strangle out, my grip having loosened as I was watching Bella exact her revenge.

Pulling him closer to my face, I whispered, "Deliverance."

The banging of the science lab door distracted me just long enough for James to lean down and bite a large chunk from the side of my neck, spraying blood all over him.

"Motherfucker!" I screamed, throwing James into the wall, the sickening sound of crunching bone echoing though the hallway. He grinned at me evilly, my blood dripping from his mouth and down his chin.

I tore off my shirt, quickly pressing it to the wound to stem the flow of blood. Bella moved the cloth to inspect the bite. "It will heal quickly. Just keep pressure on it to stop the blood flow. Your body will do the rest."

Nodding, I turned toward the science lab to see what the commotion was about. Carlisle sprinted towards us, his face ashen. "The idiots left the gates open. We have Dreg coming in from two sides," he gushed, obviously panicked. He quickly turned and headed back to the science lab, calling for Jasper and Emmett as he went.

"Oops," James' evil chuckle bounced off the walls behind me as he tried unsuccessfully to rise from the floor. "Guess Victor forgot to close the gate again."

"Oh, you won't have to worry about him forgetting that particular task anymore," my girl countered with a smug grin on her face, knowing the exact whereabouts of Victor's cooling body.

His grin faltered as he realized that, not only were his buddies unable to come to his aid, but his own legs were failing him as well, as his spine had snapped upon impact against the cinder block wall. "Fuck you, Masen, and your witch whore!" he sneered.

Bella's foot suddenly made contact with the side of James' chest, cracking at least three ribs as he howled in pain. She was about to deliver a crushing blow, when I stopped her.

"Come on sweetheart, we need to get everybody and get the fuck out of here," I cooed, pulling her down the hall. Stopping to look out the second story window, I noted the large number of Dreg storming toward the front of the building. It would only be a matter of time before they found their way in.

"What about him?" my angel sighed.

"Leave him for the Dreg," I replied, glancing over my shoulder one last time at the monster that wanted to kill my family, his pleas for mercy falling on deaf ears.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Again, thank you for the reviews, guys. I'm really glad you're enjoying reading as much as I'm enjoying writing. Reviews make me smile! Now for some more action…

I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does.

EPOV

Pulling Bella back into the lab, I quickly scanned the room, making sure all of my family had remained unscathed throughout our dirty ordeal. I strode over to the supply closet, anxious to get to Ali. Without thinking, I quickly turned the knob and pulled, surprised when the entire door knob assembly broke apart in my hand and the door itself splintered where it met the door jamb.

"Oops," I chuckled, amused by my new found strength. The door suddenly flung open hitting me square in the forehead, stars bursting behind my eyelids, as I bent over in pain. "Ow!" I roared, straightening to my full height, only to come nose to barrel with the Sig Sauer I had given Ali before leaving on our mission.

My pixie sister stared up at me with wide, fearful eyes, the gun shaking slightly in her hand. I slowly raised my hand to clasp her wrist, before she really hurt someone. She was positively terrified, chanting, "No one but Edward…no one but Edward," tears streaming down her face.

"Pix, it's me," I cooed softly, slowly pulling the gun away from my face.

"Edward?" she whispered, coming back to herself, her eyes finally clearing.

"Yeah, Ali, it's me. It's Edward. Now, let me have the gun sweetheart," I pleaded.

Alice finally released her grip on the Sig, only to swing her tiny fist around and clock me square on the side of the head. "Dammit, Edward!" she screeched. "You scared the ever living shit out of me!"

Lights exploded behind my eyes once more as I found myself bent over, stomping the floor in frustration. Bella rushed to my side grasping my arm to pull me over to a stool. However, my obvious pain in no way deterred my pixie sister from giving me an absolute earful.

"You said not to open that fucking door for anyone except you!" She paced around the room like a caged animal, just waiting for the right moment to strike. Turning, she walked straight up to me, digging her bony finger directly in my sternum. "Then you go and rip the door off the fucking hinges! Couldn't you knock-"

"Calm down, Ali Cat," Jasper soothed, pulling her finger away from my chest and wrapping her up with his good arm. "I need you to focus. We have to leave." Alice gasped and turned to look at her husband. "James left the gate open and we have Dreg coming in. It will only be a matter of time before they make it up here, so we have to go," Jasper concluded, sweeping the hair from her forehead.

As if a dam had broken, everyone jumped into action, packing as much medicine and supplies as we could from the science lab. Bella stayed close to me as Esme and Alice raced to their rooms in order to pack what personal belongings they could manage. Jasper, Emmett, and Jacob began carrying bags down to the back entrance where we would be exiting.

"Where will we go?" Bella whispered, packing up Carlisle's medicine cabinet into a large duffle bag.

Casting a worried look to Carlisle, I sighed, "We'll figure that out on the road. I think Carlisle wants to head west, but right now I just want to be anywhere but here."

"Back toward Rachel?" She looked between Carlisle and I, before finally nodding in acquiesce. As she finished packing the last of the supplies, she turned to me with her hands on her slender hips and determination on her brow. "So…what's the plan? How are we getting out of this building?"

"Well…that's where it's going to get tricky," I exhaled, running my hand through my hair, tugging harshly at the ends, as I peered out the second floor window at the growing mob of Dreg below. "The ambulance is parked in back under cover right behind the gymnasium. We should be able to get everything loaded without drawing any attention, but…"

"But…what?"

"But the ambulance won't fit everyone," I sighed. "We need the Humvee."

Spinning toward me, my angel leveled me with a heated glare. "The Humvee, Edward?" she asked, stalking toward me angrily. "The same Humvee that is parked in front of the school? The one currently surrounded by twenty Dreg, that Humvee?"

I nodded slowly, trying in vain not to anger her any further than she already was.

Esme and Alice appeared in the doorway, bags in hand. "We're done," they both announced in unison, giggling at their synchronization.

Carlisle approached Alice, a look of worry marring his features. "Are you alright Alice?" he asked sweeping his hand across her forehead. "You're sweating and you feel feverish."

Swatting his hand away, she replied, "I'm fine. We were just rushing is all."

Emmett rushed into the room, grabbing bags as he passed through. "Is this the last of it?" he asked.

"Yes," Carlisle replied, giving Ali one last glance before turning back toward Emmett. "That's the last of it."

"Then we need to move before they start making their way to the back," he grunted, carrying two very heavy duffles and heading out the door.

As I tossed the last remaining bags over my shoulders, we filed out of the room headed toward the back stairwell. James had been oddly quiet. Maybe he was making his peace with God and resigning himself to his fate. Sick fuck could burn in hell for all I cared.

We made our way back down to the cafeteria. Peeking out the back door, I could just barely make out the nose of the ambulance sticking out from behind the rear right corner of the gymnasium…two hundred and thirteen feet. Damn. I didn't see any Dreg in the near vicinity, and I could still hear them clawing at the front of the school, suddenly thankful that we were mindful enough to board up the first floor windows when we moved into this place. Quietly closing the door, I turned back to the others, dreading the news I was about to deliver.

"Okay," I sighed, "here's how this is going to go. That ambulance will seat two in the front and four in the back. Carlisle, Esme, Jasper, Alice, Jacob, and Seth. You six are going in the ambulance. I didn't see any Dreg, so if we grab the bags and go now, we should be fine."

"Wait, what about you, Bella, and Emmett?" Alice cried, stepping towards me.

"We're going to make our way around to the front to get to that Humvee," I said, closing the distance between me and my sister. She began to sob as I wrapped her up in my arms.

"T-that's suicide," she hiccuped, hugging me back fiercely.

"It's not, pix, I promise," I whispered, smoothing my hand through her hair, trying to calm her. "Bella and I are just as strong as those monsters out there. They won't be able to touch us."

"And what am I? Chopped liver?" Emmett snorted, rolling his eyes. "I've held my own against those fuckers before. We'll be fine, Ali Cat." Shooting a playful wink her way, he grabbed as many bags as he could carry and moved to stand directly by the back door. The rest of us fell in line, shouldering duffles and checking weapons.

Carlisle quickly handed out the two way radios reminding us to remain in radio silence until we were either all in the vehicles or there was an absolute emergency. With one last look to make sure the coast was clear, we snuck out the back doors, one by one, making our way down the breezeway and around the right side of the gymnasium toward the parked ambulance.

I would have preferred to go through the gymnasium as opposed to around it for the added coverage, but the back exit was in the rear left by the locker rooms. That asshole, James, had parked the ambulance on the rear right corner after their last supply run. I really hoped the Dreg took their time eating him.

We reached the ambulance without incident and dropped the bags to the ground. Turning to Carlisle and Jasper, I asked, "You guys got this?" motioning to the bags and the back of the ambulance.

Nodding quickly, Carlisle breathed, "Yeah, go. Get to that Humvee and we'll meet you around front." As I turned to leave, Carlisle grasped my shoulder. "Be careful, son."

With one last look to my sister, I mouthed 'I love you', and turned to head around to the opposite corner of the gymnasium, with Bella and Emmett hot on my heels. I stopped just shy of the corner, raising my hand to alert Emmett to trouble coming our way. I could smell the decaying flesh and hear the gnashing of teeth, but the incredible stench of the entire horde prevented me from distinguishing just how many were headed directly toward us. Fuck.

Creeping closer to the edge, I took a quick glance around the corner hoping for a small headcount. What I saw made my blood run cold. Turning back to Emmett, I motioned 'twenty' as I rechecked the clip in my gun and felt for the spare on my hip. We had no choice but to go through them. If we doubled back, we could draw attention to the ambulance. I would rather face the whole horde myself than endanger Alice.

Guns drawn, we rounded the corner trying to take down as many of the fuckers as we could as we cleared a path through them. Truth be told, they were damn hard to kill. The pain centers in their brains no longer functioned, so only direct shots to the head took them down quickly and permanently. Although, even then the fuckers twitched for a few minutes, like they were trying to decide if they were going to get up and give it another go.

Attracted to the gun shots, another wave came running from the front of the building, snarling and thrashing. Bella thrust her arm to the side, sweeping five of them a good twenty five feet away, only for them to jump back to their feet and rejoin the charge.

"Dammit!" I growled in frustration as I saw a several stragglers leave the assault and head for the back of the gym, drawn to the sound of the ambulance roaring to life. "Carlisle, you better be loaded and driving," I mumbled, taking down another two as I sprinted toward the front of the school, gun fire sounding from every direction.

_Go, Edward. I've got Emmett._

Bella was lagging back a bit to help cover Emmett, which meant I would reach the Humvee first and have to swing around to pick them up.

I took down the last three Dreg between me and the Humvee. Swinging into the driver's seat and starting it up, I did a quick one eighty back in their direction. Just as Bella and Emmett jumped into the Humvee, I saw the ambulance skid around to the front of the school toward the gate, three Dreg clutching the top and one hanging from the back bumper, clawing at the back doors.

Turning sharply to the left, gravel kicking up in my wake, I raced to catch up with the ambulance. Emmett lowered the passenger window, pulling himself through so he could get a better shot at the Dreg clinging to the ambulance. Carlisle was swaying the ambulance from side to side, attempting to dislodge the tenacious creatures, making it that much harder for Emmett to get a clear shot.

"Goddammit, Carlisle!" Emmett yelled in frustration, having missed again.

The fucker being dragged behind the ambulance clawed its way up and was prying one of the back doors loose. Having had enough of this bullshit, I rammed the back of the ambulance, knocking the two assholes on the roof of the ambulance to the ground. The only remaining Dreg had been crushed between the two vehicles, stuck to the front of the Humvee like a squashed bug.

Grabbing the radio, I called to Jasper, "Tell Carlisle he's in the clear, keep going and we'll catch up. I need to remove a hood ornament."

"Ten-four, but I think we should stop soon-"

"Shut up, Jasper!" I heard my sister shout in the background.

"What the fuck is going on?" I demanded into the crackling radio.

After what seemed like an eternity of shuffling and bickering, Alice finally came on the line. "Everything is fine, Edward. Carlisle said we are heading up Highway 375 toward Rachel, yes?"

"Yeah, Ali. We're heading back to the pharmacy where we found Bella, alright Jasper?" I said knowing he could hear me as well.

Bella gasped in surprise at that last comment. Fuck, we really should have already had this discussion, but there had been no time.

"Got it, I'll direct Carlisle where to go," Jasper crackled through the radio.

I slowed the Humvee down to a crawl as the ambulance began to pull away. Emmett hopped out and removed the wiggling carcass from our front bumper, tossing it to the roadside.

"So what exactly is the plan, Edward?" my angle asked, slightly miffed at having been left out of the loop, the disdain practically dripping from her velvet voice. Never had I been so glad for the lack of a rear view mirror. I could feel the heat from her gaze scorching the back of my head.

As Emmett jumped back into the passenger seat, I gunned the gas to catch up with the ambulance. I didn't want them to get too far ahead of us in case of trouble.

"Bella, sweetheart, I know this may be a touchy subject, but I need to know how you ended up in that pharmacy," I pleaded, praying that my angel would forgive me for what I was about to ask of her.

"Well, that particular building has a cellar door in one of the inner offices-"

"Wait, I checked those offices myself. I didn't see anything like what you are talking about," Emmett interjected.

"The door is more of a hatch…I guess you could say. Room for only one person to go up or down at a time," Bella replied. "It's hidden under a rug under a desk in the office right next to the medical supply room where you found me. Rosalie and I used it frequently to get topside."

"What's under the hatch, baby girl?" Emmett asked, turning to face Bella in the back seat.

"Oh, it's a tunnel that leads to a back exit of the compound," she answered, smiling at the brotherly term of endearment. "It isn't marked on any of the plans and it's hidden, made to look like an electrical panel. As far as I know only Rose, myself, and my parents know of its existence."

I could make out the back end of the ambulance through the swirling dust. Looking over at Emmett, he seemed to know exactly what I was thinking.

"So, we should be able to get into the compound through that back door, right?" Emmett asked Bella.

Sighing heavily, my girl whispered, "I was afraid you were going to ask that."

"Sweetheart," I cooed from the front seat, "what happened that day? Why were you in that pharmacy? How did you get hurt?"

I could hear her quiet sniffles in the back seat. Making a split second decision, I brought the Humvee to a screeching halt, yelling to Emmett, "Chinese fire drill!"

Emmett jumped out and ran to the driver's seat while I dove into the backseat with Bella. Emmett had us back behind the ambulance in a matter of seconds. Finally able to look into her deep green eyes, I wrapped her in my arms, as the tears ran in rivulets down her beautiful face.

"Sweetheart, please…" I begged.

Looking up at me, she finally said, "The situation got really bad down there, Edward."

"What do you mean, baby?" Her hesitance making me extremely wary of her answer. "I promise nothing you say will change how I feel about you. You are mine and I am yours. I love you, Bella." Leaning down, I kissed her softly, hoping to convey the depth of my feelings.

She pulled back, slightly dazed, lips turned up in a small smile. "Okay," she breathed. "Rosalie and I had been working for months on a way to reverse the effects of the virus, to no avail. Our government friends stepped back in, furious at the failure of the serum. The compound was overrun with soldiers all under control of General Simmons."

"General Simmons? As in U.S. Attorney General Simmons?" Emmett asked.

Bella nodded slowly, lowering her head in shame.

"Motherfucker!" I roared, kicking the passenger seat, breaking the welds and wrenching it from its bolted position.

Swerving in surprise, Emmett shouted, "Dammit Edward, calm the fuck down!"

"Our own government did this…hurt you," I whispered is disbelief, shaking my head. "What did they do, sweetheart? Please tell me," I pleaded.

"That last day," she continued, "four soldiers barged into my room, drugging me before I could fight back. I woke up in one of the labs, shackled to the table…naked," she whispered. I squeezed my eyes shut as that last word left her mouth, unable to quantify the rage building within me. I thought for sure I would explode, completely combust from the inside, burning everything within me to ash.

"I don't know how long they had me that way, or what exactly was…done…to me," she continued trying to ignore my building anger. "I have…flashes…but I pray they aren't real. I do know that, for whatever reason, they were taking quite a bit of blood." I held her tighter as she fought her sobs.

"How did you get away, sweetheart?" I implored, kissing her hands lightly, using her touch to calm myself.

"They left me alone," she said, chuckling lightly through her tears. "I think they thought I would be out of it for a while longer, so they left me on the table. I woke up. I ripped the shackles from the table, grabbed a hospital gown and panties, and ran straight for the back exit. The floors in the tunnel from the back door to the hatch are grated, so without shoes, the grooves tore into my feet."

"What about your fingers and knees? How did they get tore up?" Emmett asked.

"Um, well I was still sort of out of it from the drugs," she explained, looking toward the front seat. "I tripped and fell several times. Then, I had to practically claw that damn hatch open." Looking into my eyes, she whispered, "I'm sorry I couldn't speak when you first found me. I was so scared and disoriented. As soon as your eyes met mine, I immediately felt the mating pull-"

"Another subject we have yet to…explore," I whispered, kissing her nose. My possessive instincts were kicking in with all of the mate talk. I really wanted to devour that little mouth of hers, but I didn't want to start something I couldn't finish.

"Ed, we're coming up on the pharmacy," Emmett commented, interrupting my lust filled thoughts. "I haven't seen a single soul, so I think we're good to go."

"Let's get everyone inside and we'll decide what to do from there," I ordered, opening the door and climbing out with Bella right behind me. Looking around, I could see my family spilling out of the ambulance, Jasper and my sister being the last to exit. They seemed to be in a heated argument, my sister's arms wrapped around her stomach as Jasper peppered her with questions, angry at her lack of response.

As I strode toward Alice, Carlisle stepped directly in my path. "Why don't you give them a minute, son. It was a…narrow…escape."

"What happened-"

"Carlisle!" Jasper screeched. Our heads snapped in his direction, just in time to see my pixie sister vomit a fountain of blood.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: It was my birthday yesterday and I got such GREAT reviews! Thank you so much!

I plan to get on a posting schedule. Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday is what I'm thinking. However, sometimes this story just won't leave my brain alone, so you may get an extra from time to time. Trust me, there is plenty of "WTF!" to come.

I also received some questions in a review that I can answer here:

Edward is 26, Emmett and Jasper are 25, Alice is 22, Bella and Rosalie are 21, Carlisle is 36, and Esme is 34. As for your other questions…hmmm….time will tell.

Reviews make me smile twice as much on my birthday weekend!

As always, I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does.

EPOV

I watched in horror, absolutely helpless, as Alice's eyes rolled back in her head and she began to fall. Within my next breath, I was lifting my pixie sister into my arms, cradling her against my chest. Her face was deathly pale, sweat beaded on her forehead.

"Tell me what happened…now!" I bellowed, turning back to Jasper, eyes blazing.

"Fuck!" he cried, reaching for his wife. "I'm sorry, she wouldn't let me tell you!"

Esme appeared by my side. "Edward, let's get her into the office so Carlisle and I can evaluate her. Please, son…" she pleaded, pushing me in the direction of the pharmacy.

Rushing inside, I took Alice into one of the exam rooms, lying her down on the reclining cushioned table, a devastated Jasper trailing behind.

I turned on him the moment Carlisle stepped in to take over her evaluation. "What…the fuck…happened!" I growled, grabbing two fistfuls of Jasper's t-shirt and pushing him into the wall.

"Edward, calm down," my angel said soothingly, trying to calm me so that Jasper could explain. She dropped a duffle bag by Carlisle's feet and began removing a blood pressure cuff and Carlisle's stethoscope.

"We were almost completely loaded," Jasper blubbered, tears falling from his eyes as he looked past me to his prone wife. "Alice was passing the last bag to Seth, when out of nowhere, this Dreg bastard grabs her around the waist, squeezing, lifting her straight off the ground, before turning and slamming her down. Seth was able to shoot the bastard before he tore her apart."

The entire scenario played out in my mind as Jasper explained. I had let some of those fuckers slip past me and they got to Ali. I began to cry in earnest, releasing Jasper and falling to the floor in a heap. "All my fucking fault…"

Bella knelt next to me, nuzzling my cheek with her nose.

_Not your fault, sweetheart. There were too many of them to get them all. Not your fault._

Looking into her eyes, I realized just how lucky I was to have found Bella. She grounded me when everything felt hopeless.

_It's what mates do._

Gasping in surprise, I whispered, "You heard me?"

"Yes, our bond is strengthening," she affirmed. "None of this is your fault, sweetheart. We did everything we could. Now let's go see to your sister."

Standing with Bella's arms wrapped around my waist, we walked to where Carlisle was examining Alice. Esme had cut away her t-shirt in order to inspect the damage, gasping loudly at the huge unnatural looking bruise that had started to form from where that monster had grabbed her.

"That's not a normal bruise," my angel whispered, looking to Carlisle for confirmation.

"No, it's not," he sighed, pressing his hands around her abdomen. "I'm pretty sure its internal bleeding, possibly a ruptured spleen. I won't know for sure without an ultrasound."

Jasper's sobs intensified from the corner of the room. "Fuck, fuck, fuck…" he cried, banging the back of his head into the wall.

Carlisle looked into Esme's eyes shaking his head slowly. "Without the proper equipment, there's nothing I can do. Even if I could give her a blood transfusion, she would just continue to bleed out without repairing the damaged organs."

"What about Bella's blood?" Seth whispered from the doorway, Jacob holding his trembling form. I hadn't heard that kid speak a word in the four months I had known him, and yet here he was trying to help my sister, again.

Looking to Bella, I wanted to slap myself for not considering the same possibility. She faced me with a look of uncertainty, "I-I just don't know Ed-"

"You're not the same blood type," Carlisle interrupted.

"But it didn't matter with Edward, did it?" Esme questioned, holding Alice's hand tightly in her own. "I remember you said his antibodies attacked her red blood cells anyway…just like they would if the wrong blood type were introduced…but then they bonded with them, right? Isn't that what happened?" she asked, looking to Bella.

My angel looked to me with a spark of renewed hope in her beautiful eyes. "I can't promise anything," she whispered. "I don't know how much of what happened with you was because our compatibility as mates and what was not."

Jumping to his feet, Jasper rushed forward, throwing himself at Bella's feet. "Please, please, please," he chanted, "she'll die regardless. Please just try."

Nodding quickly, Bella sprang into action, grabbing tubing and butterfly needles from the duffle bag at Carlisle's feet. Taking the supplies, Esme started an IV while Carlisle pulled out a syringe and a vial of clear liquid.

"I'm going to give her morphine," he said, looking to me for approval. "If this doesn't work…well, I don't want her to suffer."

I nodded in acquiesce, pulling Jasper from the floor and backing towards the corner so we would be out of the way. Jacob had taken Seth out of the room and Emmett was currently keeping watch for any signs of trouble from the Dreg, although so far the town looked completely deserted.

The trio worked quickly around my pixie sister, first injecting the morphine, then beginning the direct transfusion.

Alice's skin became clammy as a fine layer of sweat coated her entire body. Esme continuously wiped down her forehead and arms with a cold cloth. After two hours, we were beginning to lose hope.

Looking to me from Alice's bedside, she shook her head slowly.

"Just a little longer…please…" Jasper begged, desperation clouding his ashen face.

Looking back to Carlisle, Bella nodded, "We'll keep going."

Three hours into the transfusion, Alice spiked a fever, her temperature rising to 105.6 degrees. Bella looked over to me, a small smile gracing her beautiful face.

_This may just work, sweetheart. This is precisely what happened with you._

I stood and walked slowly over to my angel, my reason for living, and bent to kiss her on the cheek. I took Alice's hand in mine, feeling the scorching heat radiating from her skin. As I stood stoically by her side, I watched, fascinated, as the large bruise on her abdomen slowly receded, as if being burned away by the fever.

"Is this what happened with my stab wound?" I asked Bella, running my fingers over the area where I should have still been sporting stitches, the skin smooth and perfectly healed.

"Yes," she whispered, "exactly the same. The implications of this are...extraordinary. The rate of healing is accelerated in both you and Alice, even compared to my own."

My hand traveled to the bite mark on my neck inflicted by James. In all of the chaos, I had completely forgotten about it, surprised at the smooth skin I felt there as well. Shaking my head, I realized I didn't even know at what point it had healed.

Carlisle sat heavily in the side chair, exhaling in relief. Rubbing his face vigorously, his features took on a wistful look. "I wish I had a proper lab," he sighed. "We could test this properly."

"We have a lab," Bella mumbled, quickly unhooking the IV tubing. Alice was far enough along in the fever now, we could let her body do the rest. "I have to warn you all, I don't know exactly what we will find down there," Bella continued, disposing of the used tubing in an empty waste receptacle.

"When we first discussed the compound, you said that it encompasses roughly sixty eight miles, correct?" Carlisle asked, tying down the logistics in his mind.

Bella nodded, "A lot of that is service passageways and tunnels for conduit and maintenance lines. Oh! And Hydroponics, of course, takes up a rather large portion."

"Hydroponics?" Carlisle questioned, intrigued at the thought of plant life so far underground.

"Yes, we grow much of our own food using mineral nutrient solutions. A few years ago, we actually cleared an entire area where we have stimulated the growth of the most amazing forest, exotic plants and trees that have been genetically engineered, all growing in less than a foot of nutrient rich soil," she rambled, clearly excited to share some of the aspects of her research. "I can't wait to show you all…" she trailed off, the light in her eyes dimming, as she suddenly remembered the circumstances in which we would be travelling down below.

I wrapped my arms around her, pressing her little body to mine. "It's alright, sweetheart. I know this is scary for you, but you have me now and I won't let anything happen to you."

"So is there any areas that we may be able to sneak into and remain closed off? Undetected?" Carlisle asked, trying to formulate a plan.

"I-I don't know," Bella replied. "We have security cameras everywhere, monitored twenty four hours a day in the main control room. When the military took control, they…replaced…our technicians with their own men."

"Replaced? You mean killed?" I asked, lifting her eyes to meet mine.

"Yes," she whispered. "We were grossly outnumbered. There was nothing we could do. The last few weeks were chaos," she sobbed into my shirt, each tear like a dagger to my heart.

"I don't mean to sound disrespectful," Jasper declared, "but, given your abilities, how is it that those soldiers could keep you under their control?" He had taken my place next to Alice, slowly stroking her hair, trying to offer her any measure of comfort.

"Regardless of what Emmett thinks, I am not a superhero," Bella answered curtly, turning her back to my chest, clearly irritated with Jasper's assumptions. "Yes, I am much stronger and faster than the average person, but tranquilizer darts work on me the same way they work on you," she huffed, crossing her arms under her breasts.

Looking over Bella's shoulder, I couldn't help but notice how that simple act had pushed her breasts up and together a bit, delicious cleavage peeking out of the top of her t-shirt. I licked my lips, my mind wandering to what was under that t-shirt, imagining rosy pink nipples that would harden under my tongue. God, how I wanted to lick and suck—

"Edward!" Carlisle exclaimed, snapping his fingers to gain my attention. "Where did you go? I've been talking to you for two minutes."

"Nowhere," I mumbled, heat rising to my face. I planted my nose into the crook of Bella's neck trying to hide my embarrassment. I needed to get my girl alone…soon. Her smell…intoxicating.

_I know, sweetheart. I need you too._

I was so busted. My cock ached as she discreetly rubbed her little ass against my crotch. Fuck, this girl would be the death of me.

"I'm sorry, Carlisle, what were you saying?" I squeaked, willing my cock into submission.

"I said that we may have to take our chances, go in blind but armed to the teeth," Carlisle repeated. "Bella would have to direct us where to go."

"Wait," my angel gasped, pursing her lips in thought. "There is this one area of the compound…it was new construction. We hadn't gotten around to installing the new cameras yet, but most of the genetic testing equipment was in place."

Excited at this new development, Carlisle rapidly fired off question after question. "What was it being built for? Will it house us all? Is it easily accessible?"

At this last question, my angel cringed. "It's behind Hydroponics," she responded. "The lab was built to replace the smaller lab we were using for the genetic manipulation of the plant life. I'm afraid it's quite a ways inside the compound and we would have to pass multiple security stations to get to it."

"Is there any way to disable the security?" Jasper asked.

"I don't know," she whispered brokenly, upset at not being able to provide the answers we needed.

"Uh…I have an idea," Jacob mumbled from the doorway. "I swear I wasn't eavesdropping-"

"It's okay, Jacob," I reassured, motioning him further into the room. "Tell us your idea."

"Well, I used to be a little trouble maker, you know? Back before the world went to hell in a hand basket," he sighed, looking ashamed of his actions in his former life. "Regardless, some of my friends and I used to disable video cameras using lasers. Just point them at the cameras and it's nothing but red glare."

"But we don't have any lasers," Carlisle said.

"Actually, we do," Jacob responded proudly. "In our arsenal we have two of the newer hunting rifles, and those hunting rifles come equipped with-"

"Laser scopes," I finished, damn proud of the boy for his ingenuity.

"That won't work," Bella countered, shaking her head. "Even though the camera won't see us, it will still see the laser. They'll know there is an intruder, track our movements through the cameras."

I looked to Jasper, knowing we were thinking along the same lines. "Wargames," we both said simultaneously, giggling like little girls. Before Jasper was discharged from the military, we had participated in a military field exercise similar to 'Capture the Flag'. An exercise we won, hands down. This would be similar, taking two routes and using the lasers and cameras to leave false trails.

"Baby, could you draw me a map of where I would need to go to get to the lab you are talking about?" I asked, almost giddy at the idea.

"Yes, definitely, but I don't like this, Edward," my angel sighed. "I don't like being separated from you. Plus, there are things you will see down there…experiments," she said, shaking her head. "There's still so much you don't know…that I can't really tell you yet."

"I know, sweetheart," I breathed, "I don't like being separated from you either." Running my hands through my hair, I whispered, "I know there is still much to discuss, you'll tell me when you're ready, but this may be the only way to get in and get to the lab undetected." I leaned down brushing her lips with mine. "It will be alright, baby. I promise. Jasper, Emmett, and I have all done this before."

Leaning into me, she planted a hard, searing kiss on my lips. My restraint evaporated. Picking her up, I slung her over my shoulder. Turning back to Carlisle, I muttered, "Sorry, but I need a minute…or an hour."

I quickly carried Bella to one of the other empty exam rooms, closing and locking the door behind me. Swinging her around, I pushed her up against the door, grinding into her. "God, Bella, I'm so sorry…but I _need_ you sweetheart. I don't understand this compulsion-"

"It's the mating bond, Edward," Bella said, her breathing becoming labored. "It will only grow stronger…until…"

"Until? Fuck, yes," my mouth moving to devour hers. "We don't have long, sweet girl, but I need something…anything."

Nodding her consent, she shimmied out of my arms and down onto her knees in front of me, eye level with my rebellious cock. My hands clawed into the wood of the door as I realized my shower fantasy may be about to come to fruition. Closing my eyes, I breathed deeply through my nose, trying not to come at just the thought of her mouth on me.

My eyes snapped open as she palmed my erection through my jeans, growling low in my throat, my eyes blazing with lust.

Bella popped the button on my jeans and lowered the zipper, her eyes on mine. "I've never done this, Edward. I'm not sure I know how," she said looking at me timidly.

"You don't have to do this, sweetheart," I said, reaching for my jeans.

"No!" she shouted, swatting my hands away. "Just let me try," she cooed, eyes hooded with lust, pulling my boxer briefs down until my cock sprang free.

"Fuck!" I gasped, placing my hands back flat against the door to brace myself against the onslaught of sensation. Her hot breath on my cock was almost my undoing.

She tentatively leaned forward and took a small lick, causing tremors throughout my entire body. Taking that as an encouraging sign, she engulfed my entire length in her hot little mouth. Wet, scorching heat surrounded me and I fought with everything in me not to thrust. She bobbed her head slowly, swirling her tongue at the tip. Fuck, this would not take long.

After only a few minutes, I began to feel the tingles low in my belly, my orgasm approaching much too fast for my liking. "Fuck, Bella, I need you to move," I breathed.

Looking up at me through her lashes, she hollowed her cheeks and sucked harder, an obvious refusal to my request. She took me all the way to the back of her throat, swallowing around my hard cock several times as my orgasm pulsed through me.

I roared out my pleasure, thrusting my hand straight through the door. Looking down at the smug expression on her face, I quickly scooped her off the floor and tossed her onto the examination table. "For someone who doesn't know what they're doing…damn," I panted, stalking toward her slowly.

"Rosalie had these movies…" she trailed off, rubbing her thighs together, seeking friction to ease the ache.

"Lucky me," I breathed, finally regaining some composure. Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply through my nose, smelling her heady scent, so thick in the air I could almost taste it. Looking back at her writhing on the table, I pounced.

I pulled her yoga pants and shoes off in one fail swoop, running my hands back up her thighs to the top of her white panties. I slowly pulled them down her legs, leaving small kisses in my wake. Moving back up to the apex of her thighs, I slowly parted her legs exposing the prettiest pink pussy I had ever seen, glistening from her desire.

Flattening my tongue, I licked the length of her slit all the way up to her small bundle of nerves. I slowly swirled around that little button, eliciting a low moan from my angel. Her breathing picked up as she reached down and grabbed my hair, pulling forcefully.

I trailed my index finger down to her opening, circling slowly, before inserting my finger to the first knuckle. She immediately stiffened, her head popping up to look at me, fear clouding her eyes.

"Shh, sweetheart," I soothed. "I promise I won't hurt you. I only want to make you feel good."

Relaxing a bit, she leaned back flat to the table. I continued my explorations, easing my finger inside until I came to her barrier, going no further. Fuck, she was so tight! I had no idea how I was going to fit inside her when the time came. Swirling my tongue around her little clit, I slowly pumped my finger in and out of her, those mewling little whimpers urging me on.

My angel's pleasure was so intense I was only picking up snippets of her thoughts, completely incoherent. Her grip suddenly tightened on my hair, thighs locking around my head, as she cried out in ecstasy. Her back arched off the table as her orgasm washed over her, wave after wave. I lapped at her like a kitten drinking milk, bringing her down from her high slowly.

Sitting up, she attacked my mouth in a passionate kiss. "Thank you," she sighed in contentment.

Lowering her from the table, I began righting our clothes. "My pleasure," I smirked.

Banging on the door brought us out of our post coital haze, as Emmett bellowed, "Hey lovebirds, Carlisle says Alice is showing signs of waking up. Get your asses in here."

Bella redressed quickly, and we rushed to the other room where Alice lie twitching on the table. God, I hope we were right about this, I could not fathom my pixie sister turning into one of those deranged creatures.

Alice's eyes snapped open. Taking in her surroundings, she promptly jackknifed off the table, hitting Jasper full force and knocking them both to the floor. Within the blink of an eye, Alice had straddled his waist and planted her face at his neck, growling lowly in her throat.

Emmett went for his gun, but I stopped him. "Just wait," I pleaded. "I've been through this before, just give her a minute to get her senses about her. She's not hurting him…see?" I said, motioning to my sister wrapped around her husband on the floor.

After a moment, Alice grabbed Jasper's face and planted a bruising kiss on his lips.

"Thank you, thank you, love you," Jasper mumbled around the kiss. Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. That is, until my sister began grinding on her husband, tearing at his shirt.

"Uh…maybe we should give them a few…minutes," Carlisle stuttered, everyone quickly backing out of the room, closing the door just in time as something heavy thumped against the other side.

"Fuck, Alice, slow down…" Jasper pleaded from inside the room.

"Is he going to be okay in there?" Carlisle asked, glancing to me, somewhat amused at Jasper's current predicament.

"Yeah, he'll be fine," I answered, chuckling under my breath. I was just damn grateful to have my sister back, even if she had turned into a sexual deviant.

"What the fuck is this, the Den of Sin?" Emmett muttered, turning to walk back to the main room.

As the thumps from the inner office grew louder, Carlisle turned, leading us back into the main waiting area where the others had already gathered.

"Let's work on a plan for getting us down to that compound and into the lab. We'll try to nail down most of the specifics until Jasper becomes…available," I instructed.

Bella knelt down at the small coffee table in the center of the room, clutching a large notepad and pencils. She began to draw a diagram of the inside of the compound, making special notations for the security stations.

Looking down at the complicated layout, I began to think that this could very well be the most challenging and dangerous wargame of my life. Bella looked up at me and smiled reassuringly, having heard my thoughts. Steeling my resolve, I looked over her shoulder back to the drawing, running my hand through her silky chocolate hair. I could do this. I would do this…for her.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: The reviews have been great, guys! They make me smile! I'm so glad everyone seems to be enjoying my little story. So, hold on because things are about to get bumpy…

As always, I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does.

EPOV

"Hey, does anybody else find it odd that we've been here for about six hours and haven't seen a single Dreg?" Emmett asked, shoving more dried beef jerky into his mouth as he peered out the front windows. "I mean, it's weird you know? Just saying…" he mumbled, shrugging his meaty shoulders and returning to his jerky.

Carlisle and looked at one another, stunned at Emmett's casual observance that both for us had failed to notice. The gorilla had a point. We hadn't seen a single Dreg since our chaotic arrival. Not that I'm ungrateful, but to reiterate Emmett…it was really fucking weird. Usually by now, we would have at least seen a small group move through.

"It may mean nothing," Carlisle muttered, trying to sound reassuring, but the hint of uncertainty was undeniable. We were still going over plans, preparing to infiltrate the compound. The very last thing we needed was more uncertainty…we already had that in spades.

Turning my attention back to the diagram, I sighed heavily. This compound was massive. One wrong turn and who knows where we could end up. Add into that Bella's cryptic warning of other 'experiments', and we could have a recipe for disaster if we weren't fully prepared.

The office door down the hall swung open, banding loudly against the wall. I heard my sister's giggled "Oops," before she strolled into the main room, arm in arm with her husband, satisfied grins plastered on both their faces.

I quickly stood and wrapped my pixie sister in a tight hug, lifting her tiny feet off the floor. "Thank God you're okay," I mumbled, kissing the side of her head. Setting her back down, we both looked at each other, tears overflowing.

"I'm sorry," we both said in unison. "For what?" we both said again simultaneously, the entire room bursting into laughter.

Stepping back from her, I help my hands up in a sign of surrender. "Okay, okay…I give. You go first. Pix," I sighed, "what could you possibly have to be sorry for?"

Tears streaked down her face, her eyes begging for forgiveness. "Jasper wanted to tell you that I was hurt. He wanted to stop the ambulance and have Carlisle tend to me," she sniffled, "but I couldn't risk everybody like that. I'm sorry I didn't let him tell you. I'm sorry I let that fucker get to me in the first place. I'm sorry-"

Wrapping her up in my arms once more, I pleaded, "Stop, Pix…stop." Placing my hands on either side of her face, I looked directly into her gray eyes, "I'm mad as hell that you didn't tell me you were hurt, but it was not your fault that the fucker got to you in the first place…it was mine."

"Both of you stop this," Esme interjected. "It was no one's fault. We all did what we had to in order to get out of there alive. Blame benefits no one," she voiced sternly.

"Yes ma'am," we both replied apologetically, causing another round of giggles to echo throughout the room.

With a beaming smile, Carlisle approached Alice, a look of awe upon his face. "How do you feel, Alice?" he asked, no longer able to contain his burning curiosity.

"Strange," she sighed. "I'm almost afraid to move, afraid I'll break something or make too much noise-"

"Ha!" Emmett scoffed. "You didn't seem too concerned about that an hour ago, cowgirl."

"Emmett!" Esme scolded. "Manners!"

Abashed, Emmett mumbled, "Sorry, Esme."

Blushing furiously, Alice mumbled, "I'm so sorry about that. I don't really know what came over me." The corners of her mouth lifted slightly as she cast a knowing glance to her husband. "It was purely…instinctual. I don't know how else to explain it."

"You don't have to explain anything to me, Pix. I know exactly what you were experiencing," I chuckled, my eyes meeting Bella's as the memory of having her pressed into the wall filled my mind.

"I would like to investigate this further, once we make it down to the lab," Carlisle asserted, "…_if_ we make it."

"Awe shucks, Carlisle," Emmett laughed, rolling his eyes. "I'd of thought you of all people would know the birds and bees talk, hands down. I'll simplify it for you scientific folk…it's Part A into Slot B-"

A resounding smack echoed through the room as Esme's hand made contact with the back of Emmett's head…loudly.

"Sorry, Esme," Emmett mumbled once more.

Carlisle chuckled in amusement. Turning back to Alice, he asked, "So other than that _particular_ compulsion, what else do you feel?"

"Like I could tear this whole building apart with my bare hands," she replied, holding her hands in front of her, inspecting them for any outward changes that would suggest such immense strength. "I almost ripped the door down before coming out here. It's…intense." Looking sheepishly at her husband once more, she whispered "I'm pretty sure Jasper's going to be sporting some bruises."

Clearing his throat, Jasper discreetly adjusted his junk. "Worth it," he announced to the room smugly.

"Is this how you felt…after?" Alice asked, turning her attention back to me.

I nodded slowly, remembering the intense emotions that had run through me as I vaulted off that table. "I remember thinking that I would get to James even if I had to tear the whole school apart to do it. The strength, it's hard to get a handle on. "

"Oh, God! I'm so sorry for yelling at you for breaking the door to my hiding place back at camp!" she suddenly exclaimed. "I had no idea…"

"No worries, Pix, just glad to have you back in one piece," I sighed kissing her temple. Turning back to the table, I motioned for Jasper to join me.

"You've been busy," Jasper mumbled, looking down at Bella's complex diagram. "Fuck, that's quite a trek. What's the distance between these security stations?" he asked, pointing to the small round sections highlighted in red.

"Half a mile," Bella answered, "with individual cameras every four hundred feet."

"Can I just ask something?" Jacob huffed from his perch at the far window. "Why, exactly, are we risking this? Why don't we just find another place to go that's topside? Why are we even considering breaking into somewhere that we already know is overrun with military and may be no safer for us than up here? No offense, Bella."

"None taken, Jacob," my angel replied. "I understand you are scared, but here's the thing. My family is still down there. There is also food, water, and supplies down there. Most convincingly, there are NO Dreg down there."

"There is also the matter of Bella's blood," Carlisle added, rubbing his forehead. Glancing at my sister with remorse, he continued, "I'll be honest, I didn't think the blood transfusion from Bella would work on Alice. I thought for sure we would lose her." His eyes misted as he pondered his past conclusions. "But her blood did work. It…healed…Alice. Made her into something not quite…human."

My angel stiffened at that last comment, looking anywhere but at me.

_Angel, what is it?_

Shaking her head back and forth, she sat heavily in a chair, guilt and confusion clouding her beautiful face.

"He's right," Bella whispered. As she slowly looked around the room, tears began to fall down her cheeks. "What has happened to Alice and Edward should be studied. I was born with these abilities, but the introduction of my blood into their systems has made them less human…and more like me. It needs to be analyzed, and for that we need a proper lab."

Something in her statement sent off warning bells in my head…less human…more like me. Her green eyes snapped to mine, having heard those thoughts.

_Please…please…I can't explain…not yet…_

She looked away from me, as if she were ashamed, her eyes filling with tears once more. I rose from my position at the coffee table, ignoring Jasper's protests, and made my way over to my girl. Kneeling in front of her, I whispered, "Sweetheart, as I've told you before, there is nothing…and I mean _nothing_…that could make me leave you." I planted a soft kiss on her pouty lips. "Do you understand what I am saying?" I implored, trying desperately to convey my meaning. Personally, I didn't give a fuck what she was…as long as she was mine.

Bella lurched into my arms, knocking me to the floor, covering my face in wet kisses.

"Here we go again…" Emmett mumbled from the window.

I quickly flipped Bella onto her back and pinned her arms above her head, grinding into her, a growl erupting from deep in my throat.

"Edward!" Esme admonished, snapping me out of my sudden dominant display.

I sat up, shaking my head to clear it. "I'm sorry," I mumbled, pulling Bella up with me. "I don't know what…that…was."

"Wild fucking Kingdom in here…" Emmett whispered lowly.

Grasping Bella's hand in mine, I led her back over to the table, where we redoubled our efforts to formulate a solid plan. Every route was analyzed, every possibility considered. The bad news was the Hydroponics section that Bella was referring to was quite a ways into the compound. It would take us a few hours to get to it. The good news was it was off more to the side of the compound, which would save us from having to venture into the more high traffic areas.

We decided that Emmett and I would take the alternate route to the lab, doubling back and leaving false trails with the first laser scope. Bella would lead everyone else on a more direct route, with Jasper using the second laser scope to confuse the cameras. Once we made it to the lab, we would reassess, and see exactly where we stood.

"Before we head down to that compound, I think we need to get a bit of sleep," Carlisle recommended. "We're all kind of running on empty. We need to be fresh to face whatever we may find down there."

We all nodded in agreement, pairing off to find suitable sleeping arrangements. This office didn't offer much, but we were able to find some blankets and pillows in the supply closet. There was an old leather couch in one of the back rooms that smelled strongly of cigars, but it was the most comfortable piece of furniture here. Upon further inspection, we found that it actually folded out to a sleeper sofa.

"Jacob is going to take watch since he slept earlier today while we were dealing with Alice," Carlisle stated. Grasping Esme's hand, he slowly pulled her down the hallway in the direction of the office with the sofa bed. Looking back at me with a mischievous grin, he said, "Us old folks are taking the bed." Leading a giggling Esme inside, he closed and locked the door behind him.

"Those two are definitely doing the deed," Emmett chuckled. "Old folks, my ass." Turning, he walked back to the front room tossing out a "Sweet dreams!" over his shoulder.

With blankets thrown over my arm, I laced my fingers with Bella's, silently pulling her into the same room we were in earlier that day. Taking a cue from Carlisle, I closed and locked the door behind me. Bella took the blankets from me and began neatly laying them out into a makeshift bed. Once she had them positioned just the way she wanted them, she turned back to face me, reaching up to pull her hair from her ponytail.

I licked my lips in anticipation as her long chocolate locks cascaded down to the middle of her back. Enraptured, I palmed my cock through my jeans as Bella swiftly removed her t-shirt, leaving her in the sweetest little white bra. I panted as she slowly slipped her yoga pants down her long, lean legs. Left in only her bra and panties, she stepped onto the pile of blankets, holding her hand out to me, beckoning me to join her.

My t-shirt and jeans quickly joined hers on the floor, leaving me in only my boxer briefs. I gathered her in my arms and slowly lowered her to the blankets, placing soft innocent kisses on her nose and at both corners of her mouth. Losing all restraint, she pulled my lips to hers, kissing me furiously. Our tongues tangled, her strawberry essence driving me insane with want.

Shifting my hips, I brought my thigh up between her legs, pressing against her heat as moisture soaked into her panties. My devious little angel smoothed her hands around my neck, across my shoulder blades and down my back, until she was gripping both of my ass cheeks firmly in her little hands. She deftly began lowering my boxers, pushing them the rest of the way down with her dainty little feet, leaving me completely bare and aching.

Moving to kiss down her beautiful neck, I wrapped my arms around her back, nimble fingers quickly unclasping the only barrier between me and Bella's perfect breasts. As I pulled the flimsy material from her body, I was met with beautifully round globes, peaked with perfect rosy little nipples. Lowering my head, I wrapped my lips around one bud, teasing it into a hard peak with my tongue, while my hand traveled to her other breast, squeezing and kneading gently.

Bella gasped in pleasure, her eyes rolling back as she gripped my hair, pulling roughly. My mouth traveled to her other breast, teasing lightly. I licked my way down her toned stomach, circling her cute little belly button with my nose, before grasping the top of her panties with my teeth and slowly pulling them down her legs.

As soon as her panties had joined our ever growing pile of clothing, I spread her legs wide and delved back in, eager to taste the nectar seeping from her center. My tongue teased her little clit while my index finger probed her opening, stretching her a bit at a time. I needed to be slow and controlled. The last thing I wanted was to hurt her.

Bella suddenly pulled me back up her body, wrapping her legs around me, my cock settling right at her entrance. With one thrust I could be home, but I would never take her choice away from her. Oh, I wanted her, wanted to be buried in her…more than I wanted to breathe, but she would have to lead this dance.

Looking into her eyes, I asked, "Is this what you really want, sweetheart? We don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with."

"Yes, Edward, please…" she begged. "I want you. As your mate, I _need_ you…"

"Shh, sweet girl, you never have to beg. You can have every part of me. I'm yours," I replied, slowly pressing my cock forward into her wet heat. I rocked gently, easing my way in, desperately trying to stave off my rapidly approaching orgasm. It was pure bliss and complete torture. After what seemed like an eternity, I reached her barrier.

"This is going to hurt a bit, sweetheart," I whispered into her neck.

"I know," she replied, tightening her legs, urging me forward.

With one sharp thrust, I was buried to the hilt, the sensation almost too much to bear. Burying my face in her hair, I suckled softly at the juncture of her neck and shoulder, waiting for her to adjust to my intrusion.

_Oh, God. Please move…_

Pulling back, I kissed her soundly as I pushed slowly back in, obeying her silent request. Her breathing picked up as I began to move in earnest, thrusting in and out with a little more force. Her whimpers turned to moans as I moved faster, wrapping my arms behind her back and gripping her shoulders, pressing her tightly to me. As my orgasm approached, I was fighting that same urge from earlier, the urge to dominate her. I had no idea where this compulsion was coming from.

"It's the mate bond, sweetheart. When we mate, our animalistic instincts take over, governing our actions," she breathed. "It's alright-"

A fierce growl ripped from my throat as I pinned her hands above her head, plowing into her over and over, a red haze clouding my vision. "Mine, mine, mine…" I chanted in time with each forceful thrust, the urge to claim simply too great.

Her walls began to flutter around me as she gasped for breath, using the leverage from my hands to fuck me back.

"Oh, God…Bella…I need you to come," I begged. Looking down at her flushed face and glazed eyes, I commanded, "Come now!" Thrusting once more, her pussy gripped my cock tightly as her orgasm exploded around me, coating my cock. My own orgasm crashed through me violently as I emptied into her, the aftershocks continuing for several minutes.

Slowing my movements, I held her trembling body to mine. "I'm so sorry, Bella. I wanted to be gentle. I never wanted to hurt you. Please forgive me," I cried into her shoulder.

Sweeping her fingers through my sweat dampened hair, she replied, "We're mates, Edward, and…that…is what mates do. I told you it was alright. There is nothing to forgive."

"I love you, Bella," I declared, looking deep into her beautiful green eyes.

Her blinding smile was answer enough to my poor heart. "I love you, too."

Grabbing the edge of the blanket, I wrapped us up together, cocooned in warmth. A few moments later, her breathing evened out as she drifted off to sleep.

Content down to my very soul, I followed soon after.

Several hours later, I was jolted out of the most beautiful dream by a fist pounding incessantly on the door.

"Don't make me come in there you two. I already got an eyeful of Carlisle's pasty ass. Fucking National Geographic, I swear…" he mumbled, finally backing away from the door.

Turning to my beautiful mate, I pulled the blankets slowly down her back until the dimples above her perfect little ass were visible. Slowly kissing down her exposed spine, I reached under the blanket, snaking my hand around until I finally found her pert little nipple, pinching it lightly. Bella began to shift and squirm under the blankets, before turning to face me fully.

"Hi," she whispered shyly, her eyelids still heavy with sleep.

"Hi, sweet girl," I whispered back, swooping in for a gentle kiss. "We have to get ready to go, the big oaf said so."

"Okay," she giggled, hopping up from the blanket to retrieve her clothes.

The sight of her completely nude…and bouncy…had me hard as a rock. Closing my eyes and breathing deeply through my nose, I willed my erection into compliance. We had far too much to accomplish today. I would have to readdress that issue much later.

Pulling myself free from the tangle of blankets, I grabbed my clothes and began to get dressed. God, what I wouldn't give for a shower right now, but there just wasn't time.

Heading out to the main room, hand in hand, Bella and I joined the others as they finished packing up. With one last check to our weapons and the diagrams Bella drew, we filed into the back office and moved the desk covering the hatch.

Once open, the cool air hit me in the face, carrying with it a hint of odor, something I couldn't quite place. I poked my head down first to make sure the coast was clear. Swinging down to the ladder, I slowly descended as a series of automatic LED lights came on, illuminating the entire tunnel.

"Motion activated," my angel stated, descending the ladder right behind me.

Up ahead about one hundred yards, I could see the single door that would allow us access to the compound. Bella and I moved forward, allowing everyone else to climb down into the tunnel. Emmett, pulling up the rear, closed the hatch behind him.

The floor of the tunnel was indeed grated, just as Bella had described. I could see her bloody footprints leading toward the ladder. Walking single file, as that was as much room as the tunnel allowed, we cautiously approached the door. Bella moved forward and pressed her hand to a flat panel on the wall, stepping back as the hydraulic door slowly swung open. We all quickly moved inside, gasping as the narrow doorway opened up into a much larger corridor, the hydraulic door swinging shut behind us with a slow hiss. As I watched, the door seemed to disappear into what appeared to be a large panel of conduit and switches.

I took a moment to center myself, letting my senses extend out away from me, trying to detect anyone moving in our direction, but I found no one.

Emmett and I took point as we moved up the corridor. The first junction would be coming up in three hundred and sixty feet, where we would split off into our designated teams and head in separate directions. That's also where we would encounter our first surveillance camera and find out if our laser trick was going to work.

As we approached the junction where Emmett and I were to split off, Bella came to an abrupt halt. Pulling on my sleeve to gain my attention, she pointed to the surveillance camera that sat motionless on the wall, a red light glaring from above the center eye.

_Something's wrong…security if offline._

Pulling her to me, I leaned my forehead to hers.

_Bella, we're going to stick to the original plan, just in case. Emmett and I are going to sweep around while you take everyone else directly to that lab._

Nodding at our silent exchange, she motioned for her group to follow her, while Emmett and I forked to the right, taking the alternate route.

Weaving in and out of various corridors, we came across no other personnel and all of the security cameras were inactive. Bella was right, something was definitely amiss. Emmett and I were just about to begin making our way to Bella's lab, when a streak of blond hair and a flash of metal caught my eye.

A young woman, appearing from nowhere, charged Emmett, grabbing him around the neck and lifting him from the floor as if he weighed nothing. Fuck, her resemblance to Bella was uncanny. This had to be her sister, Rosalie.

"Who the fuck are you?" she snarled, holding Emmett in the air with one hand and the knife positioned at his family jewels with the other.

Swinging the rifle around to my back, I quickly held out my hands in a gesture of surrender. "Please calm down," I pleaded, looking to Emmett, silently instructing him not to move a single muscle. "We aren't here to hurt anyone. Bella brought us here-"

"You fucking liar!" she screeched, tossing Emmett against the opposite wall. Faster than I could blink, she had me pinned to the floor, knife at my throat, as tears flooded her clear blue eyes.

"I swear I'm telling the truth!" I gritted through my teeth, trying in vain to get the knife away from her. "Bella-"

"Don't you fucking say her name!" she screamed, plunging the knife into my side. "Bella's dead…"


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews, guys! So, Rosalie's a peach, yeah? Well, let's meet the rest of the family, shall we?

As always, I don't own Twilight. Stephenie Meyer does.

BPOV

With the camera systems disabled, I felt a bit more at ease moving throughout the compound, although the reason behind the outage had me extremely concerned. I had only been gone a few days. What could have possibly happened in that span of time?

"Bella, I'm concerned about the security cameras," Jasper whispered, voicing my fears aloud. "It's unusual, yeah?"

"Yes," I sighed, trying to keep my tears at bay while a multitude of horrific scenarios ran through my mind on a continuous loop. "I need to find out what has happened. I need to find my sister."

We had been weaving through corridors for what seemed like forever, before we finally emerged in front of a doorway with which I was very familiar. Placing my hand on the identification panel, the metal of the door became first opaque and then translucent, before disappearing altogether, leaving a completely open doorway into a pitch black room.

"Whoa," the entire group voiced in unison.

I sighed, looking back at Carlisle, fully aware of the proverbial can of worms I had just opened. "I told you, Carlisle, that there were other experiments and happenings that you may see that I cannot readily explain. We weren't _just_ working on genetics down here."

"I'm sorry, Bella," Carlisle apologized, gripping my shoulder. "I know you warned me, but I never imagined…I mean… I have no context-"

"I know," I whispered, "and I'm sorry that this is going to be a bit of a mind fuck for you…but I need to get you to that lab." I turned back to the open doorway and stepped through, each person falling in step behind me. I knew what they were about to see could very well terrify them, but it was a risk I was willing to take. As the last person entered, the doorway began to shimmer, becoming more solid, until finally the carbide door reappeared, blocking out all light into the room and leaving us shrouded in darkness.

"Just wait," I whispered, hoping that everyone would stay calm. A soft purple glow began to emanate from the forest up ahead. As the light became more prominent, loud gasps sounded from my companions. I had to admit, this was by far my favorite place in this entire compound, albeit a bit mind blowing for anyone who had never experienced it.

"Impossible," Carlisle whispered from behind me, his voice laced with wonder.

"I know how you feel, Carlisle. This is my favorite place," I whispered, awed at the accomplishments we had achieved. "The trees are actually more animal than plant at this point. They are bioluminescent creatures, and are emitting the glow you see now. Earth plant life survives through the process of photosynthesis, using the sun's energy to make sugar from carbon dioxide. As there is obviously no sunlight down here, we genetically engineered these plants to create their own energy, thus…they glow."

"Beautiful," Esme murmured, enraptured by the soft purplish blue luminescence.

"What are those bright blue globes?" Jacob asked, seemingly more wary of the forest than the others.

"Oh! They're fruit," I stated, "but these aren't ripe for harvesting yet."

I began leading them down the two flights of steps that would take us to a path around the trees. The forest itself was immense, covering almost two square miles. The lab we had built was off to the left of the path about a quarter of a mile in.

"This is absolutely extraordinary, Bella," Carlisle breathed. "Although, I must admit, I have never seen a species of tree topside even remotely resembling the trees you have here. What genus did you use to breed them?"

"I assure you, Carlisle," I whispered, "this is unlike anything you have ever seen. It is a completely new genus."

"So, how much more crazy shit are we liable to see here?" Jasper asked, obviously uncomfortable with being so far out of his element.

"Tons," I replied wistfully, thinking of all the projects we currently had going. Quickening my steps, I led the group forward, finally reaching our intended destination.

Turning through yet another disappearing doorway, we finally entered the hallway that would lead to the lab. The motion activated lights illuminated our path as we made our way toward the individual rooms.

"In this wing, we set up three separate quarters, each complete with a single bedroom and bathroom," I stated pointing to the three doors on the left side of the hallway. "At the end of this hall is the kitchen."

"Wow," Carlisle exclaimed, "I didn't expect for it to be so…domestic."

"Our work is…intense…and all consuming. Sometimes it's easier for the researchers to move into quarters close to their labs," I explained. "Experience has shown this method increases productivity while decreasing chances of incidents."

Turning right, I headed down the adjacent hallway. It opened up into a huge room filled with equipment still covered in tarps, and supplies still sealed in plastic wrap on pallets. I chuckled at Carlisle's sharp intake of breath and low whistle.

"Alright, Carlisle," I snorted, "so this is the lab. I'm sure you will feel right at home." Turning back to everyone else, I said, "Come on. Let's go get everyone situated while we wait for Edward and Emmett to get here. Then we'll go from there."

As we headed back down towards the private quarters, I was struck with a sharp stabbing pain in my side. Fuck…Edward. Doubling over in pain, I panted, "Not again…"

I took off at full speed down the corridors and back through the trees, desperate to get to Edward. Something was very wrong, pain churning in my gut. Closing my eyes, I let my bond with him lead me in the direction I needed to go. The closer I got, the more I could feel his pain, but it wasn't just physical pain, it was…anguish.

Turning the final corner, I stopped dead in my tracks at what lay before me. Emmett was crumpled against the wall, unconscious but breathing. Edward was writhing on the floor, my sister perched atop him grinding a knife into his side. Edward was pleading for her to listen to him, but Rosalie was incensed.

Charging forward, I ripped Rosalie from her tirade, tumbling down the hallway. "Rosie! For God's sake, stop!"

She stiffened at the sound of my voice, grasping my shoulders and pulling us both into a sitting position. "Bella?" she whispered quietly in disbelief, tears welling in her clear blue eyes. "Bella, is it really you or am I finally crazy?"

"Rosie, it's me," I pleaded, pulling her into a tight embrace. "It's me and you're not crazy. Well…actually…you did just stab my mate, so the jury's still out on the crazy bit."

"Mate!" she gasped, pulling back from our embrace to look back down the hall at the prone men lying on the floor. "Oh God!" she exclaimed, scrambling to her feet, pulling me with her, and rushing back to where Edward was lying, slowly trying to remove the lodged knife from his side. As she reached him, she slid down to her knees, jarring the knife and causing him to cry out in pain. "I thought you were lying!" she exclaimed. "I thought you were just another of Simmons' lackeys. I'm so fucking sorry!"

"A little help here, Angel?" Edward winced, looking at me and ignoring Rosalie's apology altogether.

Grimacing at the task at hand, I knelt down next to my mate and swiftly pulled the knife from his flesh. Edward grunted in pain, slapping his hand down over the open wound and applying pressure to stop the bleeding.

"Give it a few minutes and you'll be good as new," I whispered into his ear.

"Only you can make life saving instruction sound so…sexy," he smirked, licking my neck.

"Oh for the love of God…" my sister pouted, "I'll go check on the sleeping ogre. We really need to get out of here sooner rather than later." Walking over to Emmett still lying unconscious on the floor, she gingerly knelt down next to his head, appraising his boyish features. Pulling her hand back, she swiftly slapped him right across the face, prompting zero response from Emmett. "Huh," she pondered, "I really thought that would work."

Grabbing his arm, she pulled Emmett up into a sitting position and promptly threw his torso over her shoulder in a classic fireman's hold, with seemingly no effort.

"Fuck me," Edward whispered, watching in awe at my sister's display of strength.

"I know," I breathed, helping Edward up off the cold floor. "She's better in every way-"

"No one…and I mean no one… is better than you, angel," he whispered, pulling me into his arms and kissing me soundly.

"Bellsy, we have to go," Rosalie demanded, striding quickly down the hall away from me and Edward. "On our way, you can explain just how in the blue fuck you're still alive."

"Wait! Rose, I have to go back. I left the others-"

Spinning on her heel, she leveled me with a heated glare. "What others?" she gritted, walking slowly back to me. "You mean to tell me there are more than just your boy toy and this big ape here?" she questioned, motioning to Emmett's ass.

"It's a long story," I sighed, lowering my eyes to the floor. "I'll explain everything, but I left everyone else in the lab next to Hydroponics."

"Fuck," Rosalie muttered, calculating her next move. "Fine," she huffed, "we go there first. Then you explain."

Nodding in agreement, we took off silently for the lab. I was grateful to see my sister, but I really needed some answers.

Halfway to our destination, Emmett came to with a resounding, "Hot damn…that's not Bella's ass." He followed up that comment with a swift swat to Rosalie's behind, for which she did not take too kindly.

Rosalie dropped him on his ass with a loud "Oomph!" pulling her foot back and kicking him square in the balls. "Touch me again…" she taunted through gritted teeth.

"Fuck," Emmett moaned, rolling to his side in a fetal position, cupping his crotch with both hands. "Definitely not Bells," he wheezed.

"Nope," Rosalie replied, striding past him, kicking him in the side once more for good measure.

"Jesus Christ," Edward muttered, hoisting Emmett off the floor. Rolling my eyes at Rosalie's antics, I tucked myself under one of Emmett's meaty arms and helped support his weight, while Edward took the other side.

Rosalie sashayed ahead of us, swinging her hips seductively, all to get a rise out of Emmett I'm sure.

"Nice view," Emmett muttered under his breath, staring unabashedly at Rosalie's display.

"Shut the fuck up, Emmett," Edward chastised. "Just keep your opinions to yourself until we get to the lab."

As we reached the door to the forest, Rosalie reached for the identification pad first.

As the door dematerialized, Edward muttered, "Holy…"

"Fuck…" Emmett finished. Both men stood dumbfounded as Rosalie impatiently tapped her boot, waiting for the three of us to enter.

"Hey," she called, snapping her fingers. "Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Stupid, let's go!"

We quickly made our way around the trees and down the hallway to the lab, where we found the rest of our group nervously awaiting our arrival.

"Oh thank God!" Esme gushed, barreling toward Edward. I stepped to the side with Emmett as Esme wrapped Edward in a fierce hug. Before, I could move away entirely, she tugged on my shirt, pulling me into the fold as well.

"My babies are okay," she whispered to herself assuredly.

"What am I? Chopped liver?" Emmett muttered under his breath.

Breaking away from us, Esme moved over and wrapped her arms around Emmett's massive form. "Of course you're not chopped liver," she announced. "You're one of mine, too."

Bending down, Emmett wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her slightly from the floor. "Thank you, Esme," his eyes misting at her declaration.

"Excuse me," Rosalie exclaimed loudly, "mind telling me just who the fuck all of you are?"

"My apologies," Carlisle stated, stepping forward with his hand extended in greeting. "I'm Carlisle Cullen and you must be Rosalie, yes?"

Rosalie nodded silently, arms crossed in an obvious rebuttal to Carlisle's welcoming gesture.

"Yes, well, let me introduce everyone else," he continued, clearing his throat uncomfortably. "This is Jasper and his wife, Alice," pointing to the duo seated directly behind him. "Over in the corner are Jacob and his little brother, Seth." Dragging Esme from Emmett's embrace and kissing the side of her head, he continued, "And this is my Esme."

Striding forward with a look of pure determination of his face, Emmett bowed deeply and righteously proclaimed, "We haven't been properly introduced, beautiful. I'm Emmett McCarty."

Completely ignoring his asinine attempt at chivalry, my sister turned her expectant gaze to me and Edward.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward with Edward in tow. "Rosie, this is Edward Masen…my mate," I stated, looking longingly into Edward's steel gray eyes. "When I left the compound three days ago, I ended up in the office building at the back exit. Edward found me before the Dreg could get to me."

"Dreg?" Rosalie asked, taking a seat on the nearest stool.

Carlisle took the opportunity to educate Rosalie on the origin of the Dreg and the dangers they posed.

"Fuck," she hissed, "that's what that cocksucker's been up to. He's been bringing those things down here."

"What!" Edward shouted, stepping toward Rosalie, fists clenched so hard his knuckles were white. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

Shaking her head, she stood abruptly and began to pace, moving faster and faster until she began to blur.

"Rosalie, stop," I pleaded, "you're giving me a headache. Please explain."

"You've been gone for eight days, Bell," Rosalie suddenly exclaimed, coming to stand directly in front of me.

"Eight days…" I gasped. "But that doesn't make any sense. Edward only found me three days ago-"

"Fucking Simmons," she huffed, "that dirty snake. He came to us eight days ago and told us there had been a breach…that the compound was under attack from these creatures."

Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at me, silently begging for forgiveness. "I went to your quarters first, trying to get to you before we went into full lockdown mode. Your room," she sobbed, "it was…covered…in your blood. I mean, it was on every fucking surface."

"By the time I got back to mom and dad, Simmons was there, explaining that those…things…had gotten to you, dragged you out, ripping you apart," she continued, her body heaving with the force of her cries. "I didn't believe him, but then you didn't come back…and Uncle Caius corroborated his story."

"Motherfucker!" Edward shouted, finally losing all composure. "I'm sorry, Bella, but that man is going to die. The things he allowed to happen to you…" he trailed off, shaking his head in disgust.

Shocked at Edward's revelation, Rosalie asked, "What the fuck is he talking about, Bella?"

"Please, please, both of you calm down," I begged, pulling Edward back to my side. His arms instinctively wrapped around me, providing the soothing comfort that I needed at that moment. "There is so much to discuss, so much I need to tell you, Rosie. I'm not even sure where to begin." Swaying on my feet slightly, I raised my hand to my forehead, suddenly felling a little lightheaded.

"Whoa, sweet girl," Edward cooed. Picking me up, he found the nearest stool and sat down cuddling me in his lap. "Take a few minutes and breathe, Bella."

Rosalie walked over and knelt in front of my, placing her hand on my arm as her eyes filled with tears once more. "I didn't want to believe them, Bella. I could still feel you. I didn't want you to be dead."

"It's okay, Rose," I cried, my tears joining hers. "We'll figure this all out together."

"Rosalie, is it possible to meet with your father?" Carlisle beseeched nervously, interrupting our sister moment. "There are things that should be discussed. We have made an amazing discovery in Bella's blood, and I need more expert analysis. My specialty is communicable diseases, and what we've found delves much further into the realm of genetics than I am scientifically comfortable."

Wiping her eyes, Rosalie stood to face Carlisle with a smug grin. "My father is an expert in the field of genetics…but, so am I. Truth be told, I need to move our mother and father to this wing if this is truly where you intend to perform your research."

Rosalie began walking the perimeter of the lab, inspecting the equipment. "This stuff should work for what we'll need. I have to warn you all that, right now, the compound is split. Simmons and his men have sectioned off the west side of the compound, while we have managed to stay contained in the east quadrants. The rat bastard thinks that he has us trapped. He keeps sending in troops, trying to get to us." Wringing her hands, she whispered, "He's even unleashed a few of those…things…on our side. We've lost a few people because of that."

"I'm sorry, Rosalie," Carlisle whispered, remorse coloring his words." How soon can Marcus meet with us?"

"I'll call him now," she replied pulling the small radio from her pocket and moving to a secluded corner of the lab. I could hear her hushed whispers as she voiced her excitement over having found me alive, quickly filling in the blanks on my supposed death. She hastily relayed Carlisle's request to meet us in the lab and disconnected the call.

Waltzing back over to our little group, she calmly stated, "They will be here in just a few minutes."

"They?" I asked, gulping loudly. "As in father _and_ mother?"

"Yes," Rosalie smirked.

"Meeting the family!" Emmett exclaimed, waltzing over to Rose and tossing an arm around her shoulders.

Faster than I could blink, Rosalie twisted Emmett's hand, tossing him over her shoulder and onto his back at her feet, one boot planted squarely on his chest. "Touch me again and you lose an appendage," she growled.

At that precise moment, my father appeared in the doorway, breathing heavily as if he had run the entire distance. Scanning the room, he quickly spotted me and advanced in my direction, pulling me from Edward's arms and into his strong embrace.

"Daddy…" I cried, my tears soaking his white tunic as he lovingly kissed the top of my head.

A series of loud gasps pulled my attention from my father's affections. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Edward eyes trained on my mother standing in the doorway. Edward began to squirm nervously as my mother approached us.

Pulling away from my father, I quickly wrapped my arms around my mother's slim waist as she kissed my cheek and held me in her motherly embrace. "My daughter…you're alive…" she whispered, tears streaming down her beautiful face. Clasping her hand in mine, I turned to my stunned mate.

"Edward, this is my mother, Didyme," I introduced, pulling Edward from his stool. "Mom, this is Edward…my mate."

"Oh, sweetheart!" my mother exclaimed, embracing me once more, her face a mask of pure joy.

"Uh, Bella…" Emmett implored, breaking the stifling silence that had filled the room. "Why is your mother blue?"


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Ha! I think I really blew your minds with that last chapter! Should I call it a dream sequence and have Edward and Bella just wake up married in Vegas? Nah…where's the fun in that? I should warn you that I am a firm believer that, apocalyptically speaking, if the shit is going to hit the fan...then it should REALLY hit the fan...with gusto.

So, a couple of things before I unveil this chapter. Some author rec's if you will.

Drotuno – If you are reading my story, but have never read anything by drotuno, go now.

Planetblue – Some of the most fantastic Edwards I have ever read, truly.

CaraNo – Hot. Some of her stories were moved to her blog due to their awesomeness. You can find the link on her profile.

As always, I do not own Twilight. Stephenie Meyer does. But this little stroll through my subconscious? All me, I'm afraid.

* * *

><p>EPOV<p>

Periwinkle. Not blue…periwinkle. Like a person who had been stuck in a walk in freezer for say…a year. With an extreme case of hypothermia. I wondered if her skin would feel cold.

"Edward?"

Not royal blue or azure. Not sky blue or ice blue either. Definitely periwinkle…and not human.

"Edward?"

Snapping my head around at the sound of my name, my eyes met those of my very worried little mate.

"Edward, are you alright?" she whispered, fidgeting nervously.

Nodding, I looked back to Bella's mother. Definitely periwinkle. Thinking through this logically, I concluded that I love Bella. She's my mate and there will never be another for me. So, in all fairness, Didyme would be considered my mother-in-law. My very blue mother-in-law. Not blue…periwinkle.

"Shit, you broke him Bellsy," Rosalie snorted, doubling over in laughter.

The feel of Bella's warm hand against my cheek finally brought me out of my inner ramblings. "Uh, I'm so sorry," I mumbled. "I'm not usually this…dysfunctional."

Wiping my sweaty palm down the front of my jeans, I awkwardly stuck out my hand toward Didyme in greeting. "Didyme…I mean, Mrs. Giovanni, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Edward Masen, Bella's mate."

Grasping my hand in her own, she pulled me into a warm embrace. "Yes, I believe that has already been established, sweet boy," she chuckled.

"So, are you…I mean…you're…uh…not from this planet?" I stuttered, not really knowing the proper etiquette for this type of situation.

"That is correct," she chuckled. "Was it my accent that gave it away?" she asked cocking her head to the side in amusement, effectively diffusing the tense atmosphere.

"Alien sarcasm! Awesome!" Emmett proclaimed as he sat cackling like a loon on the floor, having never regained his footing from Rosalie's assault. "Holy shit, Eddie, the look on your face is priceless!" A loud thwack echoed through the room as Rosalie smacked the back of Emmett's head.

Flinching from the impact, Emmett muttered, "Sorry, Rosie."

"It's Rosalie to you, you Paleolithic Neanderthal," she hissed.

Rising from his position on the floor, Emmett mumbled, "I swear to God, I fell asleep at the school and woke up in an episode of Star Trek."

"Fuck you, Emmett!" Rosalie spat as she turned and stomped toward the door. Spinning on her heel, she quickly snapped back to Emmett. "Wait…William Shatner Star Trek or Jean Luke Piccard Star Trek?" she questioned.

"Well," he began hesitantly, "you're hot," making a sweeping motion with his hand up the length of Rosalie's body, "and there's a blue alien present," pointing at Didyme in the corner. "I'm going with Shatner," he finished eloquently immensely proud of his deductive reasoning.

"Interesting," Rosalie replied, one eyebrow quirked in amusement. Turning again, she stormed from the room, Emmett following close behind with his proverbial tail tucked between his legs.

"God, I hope they mate soon," my angel muttered, palming her beautiful face with a loud groan.

My head snapped up at that comment. "You're fucking joking, right?" I scoffed. "They hate each other. How could they possibly be mates?"

"Well, I know my sister," she said smirking at me. "Anyone else she would have killed by now."

"My daughter is correct," Didyme stated, staring toward the vacated doorway. "I can feel the pull of the mate bond strongly with them." She looked back to Bella and me with a quirked eyebrow. "With you two, however, the bond feels complete, almost…consummated."

A heated blush rose to both of our faces, as we squirmed under Didyme's scrutiny. "I'm s-sorry," I stuttered, "I've obviously gone about this process all wrong."

"Relax, son" Marcus chuckled, stepping forward and wrapping Didyme in his arms. "This hellcat attacked me within twenty minutes of asking my name. It's what mates do. Don't let her mess with you."

"Oh poo, Marcus, spoil all my fun," she snickered, smacking him lightly on the arm. Leaning in, she lightly kissed me on the cheek. "Bella is your mate and that makes us family, thank you for bringing her back to us. In my eyes, you can do no wrong."

Bella wrapped her arms around me squeezing tightly, as I gently kissed the top of her head. "You're not freaked out that I'm not completely human?" my angel whispered, avoiding my eyes.

I quickly spun her around, lifting her chin so that I could look into her beautiful green eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you, angel? There is nothing that would make me leave you. I love you Bella, alien and all." Her answering smile warmed my heart as tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. "Now Rosalie on the other hand-"

"Oh hush you," she admonished, swatting my arm. "I know better than anyone how difficult my sister can be." She stealthily wiggled her way back into my embrace, pressing her lush breasts against my abdomen. Fuck, it had been too long since I'd had her.

Scanning the room, Didyme faced our little group, taking in the worried glances. "I know that you all have questions about…what…I am, but can we shelve that discussion for tomorrow? I promise, you have nothing to fear from me," Didyme implored.

Everyone silently nodded in agreement, dumbfounded by the possibilities that Didyme's presence represented.

Attempting to break the awkward silence, Bella turned back to her mother and father and began making the round of introductions. Carlisle seemed a little star struck, tripping over himself to shake Marcus' hand, seemingly completely oblivious to the other-worldly creature standing at his side.

"I've read so much about you, Marcus…even studied some of your work as it pertained to communicable diseases. Your theories on genetic mutations in bacterial strains were the backbone of my thesis in grad school," he rambled without taking so much as a single breath.

Chuckling, Marcus shook Carlisle's hand vigorously. "Happy to have another like-minded scientist here that's willing to focus on _human_ DNA. I've been surrounded by women intent on the studies of cross genetics."

"Okay, well I for one need a few answers, if you please," Esme interjected, breaking the bro moment between the two eager scientists. "Marcus, are we safe here? Rosalie has given us a little information concerning this Simmons character and the status of the compound, but I have kids here to think about," she asked motioning toward the corner where Jacob and Seth sat motionless, absorbing the events around them.

Sighing heavily, Marcus took a seat on one of the stools, pulling Didyme into his lap. "You're safer here than being topside. The compound has been sealed off into two sections, and Simmons cannot successfully infiltrate our side." Rubbing his weary eyes, he continued, "We are aware of the creatures that roam the area. Simmons has been bringing down groups of them for God only knows what kind of experimentation. They are strong, but they cannot get through our carbide doors."

Didyme wrapped her arms around her husband's neck, nuzzling his cheek, attempting to ease his tension. "That fool thinks he has us trapped, but he doesn't know about that back exit. We could get out if we had to. We are safe," she said soothingly.

Slowly shaking his head, Jasper countered, "Rosalie said that some of those creatures had managed to get through…even killed a few of your researchers and security personnel. Is that still a possibility?"

"Anything is possible, my dear boy, but we have addressed those weaknesses and refortified our stronghold. I am not worried," Didyme responded confidently.

"Well then'" Esme breathed, rising from her stool, "if you all don't mind, I'm going to feed these boys some of our rations and get them into bed. It's been far too long since they have had a good night's sleep."

"We will bring supplies down once everyone gets settled," Didyme offered.

Thanking Marcus and Didyme profusely, Esme gathered Jacob and Seth, escorting them to the kitchen.

"So, what's the deal with the security cameras?" Jasper asked. "When we made our way in, they were all offline."

"Yes," Marcus sighed, "the security control room is on our side of the compound. Simmons somehow disabled the system so we couldn't track his movements. He only turns them on now when he wants to send us…a message."

"What kind of message?' I asked, curious as to why Simmons would attempt to contact Marcus at all.

Looking as if she were about to burst into tears, Didyme whispered, "He sends us videos of those creatures…tearing soldiers apart and eating them."

Alice bolted from Jasper's lap, running for the bathroom, her hand clasped tightly over her mouth in an attempt to keep from vomiting all over the floor.

"I'm sorry," Didyme apologized, watching Alice's hasty retreat, "I didn't mean to upset the child, especially in her delicate condition."

"Delicate condition?" Jasper and I voiced in unison.

"Yes, it is very early yet…maybe only a day or so, but I can sense the rapid cell division indicative of egg fertilization. Alice is with child."

"Holy shit," I muttered, looking toward where my sister had exited moments before.

Jasper sat motionless, tears welling in his eyes as he stared at nothing. "A baby?" he whispered, finally looking at Didyme. "But I don't understand," he whispered shaking his head. "We tried so hard before the virus, and she never could get pregnant. When the fever hit, we thought maybe it was a blessing in disguise. To bring a child into this world as it is now…" he trailed off, hanging his head.

"I'm sorry, Jasper" my angel whispered. "The blood transfusion healed her…all of her."

"Bella, this isn't a bad thing!" Jasper exclaimed, eager to soothe Bella's guilt. "The timing may not be perfect, but I'm ecstatic…and Alice will be, too. Please don't be upset. If it weren't for you, my wife would have died. And now…a baby…I owe you everything."

"Blood transfusion?" Marcus questioned, looking to Carlisle for clarification.

"Back at our camp, Edward was badly injured by a fellow survivor. He needed a blood transfusion and, even though he has a rare blood type, Bella was adamant that her blood would work," Carlisle explained. "The effects were…extraordinary. His antibodies bonded with her blood cells, changing his physiology."

Didyme threw me a knowing smirk. "So you really are family now. Her blood has made you into something different, yes? You are stronger and faster? Rapid healing? Molecule manipulation?"

"Yes," I responded, looking down at the bloodied hole in my shirt from Rosalie's knife…and the perfectly healed skin underneath. "Well, all but that last part. I don't know anything about molecule manipulation."

"You are her mate, so it makes sense that you would be compatible in that way," Marcus interjected.

Carlisle sighed heavily. "There's more. In escaping our previous camp, Alice was fatally wounded," he further explained.

"Please understand," I pleaded, looking to Didyme for forgiveness, "Alice is my sister. We were desperate to save her, so Bella performed another blood transfusion, even though their blood types weren't compatible."

"And it worked?" Marcus gasped. "How is that possible?"

Rubbing the back of his neck nervously, Carlisle replied, "I believe it has something to do with the antibodies left in our systems from the virus. See, we've all been sick with the virus and recovered."

"My God...it worked," Marcus whispered. "The implications…"

"I know," Carlisle sighed.

"So, little Alice now shares our DNA as well?" Didyme asked, looking to Bella for confirmation. "And she is now with child? Oh my…"

"Is she in danger? The baby?" Jasper screeched, leaping to his feet.

"No, no, dear boy. All will be well," Didyme cooed, calming Jasper's frayed nerves. "I will explain as much as I can tomorrow, but I feel that we may all be spent tonight. I can also hear little Alice, she would benefit from your attention right now. Take your wife to bed and tend to her needs, but do not discuss what we have learned until I can speak with her tomorrow, please."

"Yes ma'am…thank you," Jasper sighed in relief, turning towards the hallway to find Alice.

Marcus rose from his stool, grasping Didyme by the hand. "We will pick this up in the morning, Carlisle, if that's alright with you?"

"Yes, of course," Carlisle nodded in acquiesce. "I think I'll go find Esme."

"We will take our leave, my daughter," Didyme said, kissing Bella's cheek. "Where will you be?" she asked with a devious smirk.

Bella blushed a beautiful scarlet as the scent of her arousal hit me full force. "I'm going to take Edward to my favorite spot…in the forest."

Chuckling, Marcus led Didyme from the room. "Good night, kids," he sang.

Bella stood and turned, straddling my lap. "Alone at last," she purred while grinding on me, quickly awakening the sleeping beast.

Grasping her face in my hands, I kissed her fiercely, consuming her. My hands traveled down, grasping her breasts and squeezing lightly before finally settling on her hips, moving her back and forth.

My angel pulled back from my bruising kiss, gasping for breath. She leaned to my ear and whispered, "Come with me, I want to show you something."

Content to follow this woman to the ends of the earth, I rose from my seat and slowly lowered Bella to her feet, her lush body sliding down the entire length of mine, making me even harder for her.

My angel pulled me from the lab and back down the hallway, passing the doors to the private quarters. A large thump shook one of the doors on its hinges as we passed, causing us to take pause. "Fuck, Rosie…that hurt," Emmett whined from the other side. "Wait, wait…don't bite…no, I want to do that part," followed by another resounding thud and an animalistic growl. My angel was doing her best to stifle her giggles as my eyes stay trained on the door, completely shocked by the events unfolding inside that room. "Ohh…" Emmett moaned, "that feels…different. No, don't stop…put it back up there-"

Having heard enough, I quickly grabbed Bella, pulling her the rest of the way down the hallway. "I really did not need to hear that," I mumbled, Bella bursting into a full belly laugh as we reached the walkway around the trees.

"Told you," she sang in my ear, leaving the walkway and leading me into the glowing trees.

The blue luminescent glow was mesmerizing, almost hypnotic as it pulsed around us. The air was warm and thick…and fragrant, heightening my senses. Even though there was no wind to speak of, the trees swayed lightly, their energy palpable.

Reaching out, I brushed my fingertips along a slender branch, a flash of warmth travelling up my arm and spreading throughout my entire body. Passion rushed through me as Bella's lips traveled the length of my jaw, nibbling lightly.

"Fuck," I moaned, "this feels…I have no words…" gasping as Bella climbed my body, wrapping her legs around my waist.

"Walk another thirty yards to your left…you'll see a small clearing," my angel murmured, her lips never leaving my neck.

Putting one foot in front of the other, I carried Bella through the trees, weaving through the swaying branches as they reached out to us. A small clearing appeared ahead, blanketed in soft green moss. Dropping to my knees, I gently laid my angel down, trailing wet kisses down the column of her neck.

Sitting up abruptly, Bella whipped her shirt from her body, unhooking her bra and tossing them both to the side. Mesmerized by the sight of her magnificent breasts in the soft blue light, I barely noticed as my angel ripped my shirt from my body and began tugging at my pants. Leaning down, I took a hardened nipple in my mouth, sucking lightly. Bella moaned as I bit down, running my tongue around the rosy bud to soothe the sting. Kissing down her toned stomach, I dipped my tongue into her belly button, eliciting a soft whimper from my angel.

"More…" Bella moaned, winding her dainty fingers through my hair.

Reaching the top of her yoga pants, I gently pulled them down her legs, tossing them to the side as she lay before me in just her sweet, white panties. With one swift tug, I tore them from her body, leaving her completely bare.

"Beautiful," I murmured, my tongue leaving a wet trail back up her thigh, before meeting the source of the sweetest nectar. I licked up her slit, thrusting my tongue into her entrance as she writhed around me. Dragging my thumb up through her wetness, I slowly swirled it around her little clit, watching as she became wetter and wetter. Her breaths came in short gasps as she pulled ruthlessly on my hair, moaning incoherently.

_Fuck…fuck…fuck…_

Her mind chanted those sinful words to me over and over, chasing her climax. "Come for me, Angel," I purred, thrusting my tongue into her as far as it would go while pressing my thumb firmly to her clit. She exploded around me, grunting out a low "Fuck!" before locking her thighs tightly around my head, riding the waves of her orgasm.

I instantly found myself flipped onto my back, pressed into the soft moss, my beautiful angel tugging my jeans and boxers down my legs with a devious smirk. "Your turn," she purred, running her pink little tongue along her bottom lip. Kissing down my abdomen, she finally reached my cock, hot and throbbing against my stomach.

I moaned loudly as she took me in her little hand, stroking from base to tip. My breaths came in harsh pants, as my angel bent down and slowly lapped at the pearl of liquid gathered at my slit. Having a mind of their own, my hands found their way into her beautiful chocolate locks, tugging gently, as her glorious mouth descended upon me.

"Oh God…" I breathed, as her head bobbed up and down my length, her tiny hand still fisted around the base. My thoughts were completely jumbled as she moved faster, sucking harder, taking me deeper into her throat with each pass. "Fuck, angel…your mouth…so fucking good."

As her other hand snaked down between us, she cupped my balls, squeezing gently. "Bella!" I exclaimed, my orgasm ripped from me as I came in long spurts down my angel's throat. Popping off of my cock with a loud smack of her lips, she shimmied up my body until she sat perfectly positioned over me, rubbing her wetness along my length until my cock sprung to full attention once more. Fuck, what this girl did to me.

I grasped her hips, digging my fingers into her pliant flesh, raising her up just slightly so I could slide into her moist heat. Gasping at the intense feeling of being engulfed by my angel's beautiful pussy, I began to lift her slowly up and down my aching cock at an agonizingly languid pace.

As I sat up to kiss her, I suddenly found myself forced back flat with my hands above my head, unable to move an inch, held steadfast by an invisible force. Confused, I gazed at my angel as she sat perched atop my cock, pinching her nipples with her own nimble fingers, as she rode me faster and faster.

"Bella, how-"

"Edward," she moaned wantonly, "fuck now, explain later."

At her command I gave into the sensations, phantom movements along my wrists and arms, down my chest, tweaking my nipples like a hundred fingers caressing me all at once, all while being held completely immobile. It felt fucking incredible.

A fine sheen of sweat covered my angel's perfect skin as she rode my cock harder, lifting all the way to the tip, then slamming back down. Her body flushed a beautiful pink as the blue glow from the trees seemed to pulse in time with her thrusts.

My hips flexed with each of her downward strokes, trying desperately to meet her thrust for thrust. With one hand still pinching a rosy nipple, her other hand snaked down to her beautiful pussy. Pressing on her little clit, she screamed in ecstasy, bouncing faster as her orgasm swept her away.

Bella slumped forward onto my chest as I suddenly found myself free from my invisible bonds. Never leaving her warmth, I flipped her onto her back, grinding into her. She whimpered as I suddenly pulled away, shifting to my knees before pulling her bottom to sit on my thighs. Throwing her legs over my shoulders, I entered her again forcefully, a growl building in my throat. She gasped as I began to fuck her in earnest, pulling almost all the way out before plowing back into her. My angel moaned with each piston of my hips, her eyes closed and her plump lips parted, panting in exertion.

On the precipice of my own orgasm, I commanded Bella, "Give me another one, angel. Come now!" I drove into her once more as my orgasm burned through me, ripping a guttural groan from my girl as her third climax poured from her.

I slowed my movements, bringing her down from her high gently. Kissing her leisurely, the energy we had produced seemed to dispel back into the forest. Wrapping my arms around my angel, I pulled her into my embrace, rolling onto my back.

"Sleep, sweet girl," I whispered, kissing the top of her head as she drifted into blissful sleep. My eyes closed of their own volition, exhaustion finally taking me.

I was awoken several hours later to soft kisses from my little mate. "Wake up, sleepyhead," she whispered, "we have to get dressed. Mother and father have requested our presence in the lab."

Groaning at the sight of her gloriously naked, I rubbed my eyes looking around for my clothes. Handing me my jeans and boxers, Bella looked at me sheepishly.

"Uh, we may have to get you another shirt on the way there. This one didn't survive," she muttered, handing me bits of blue fabric that used to be a perfectly good t-shirt.

Smirking back at her, I replied, "You just wanted me to be topless all day."

"That, too," she whispered, averting her eyes and quickly donning her clothing from the night before, minus her shredded panties. "Ugh, I need a shower and so do you," she groaned, "but it will have to wait until after the meeting."

I was highly amused at how my sex kitten from last night could now blush at just the sight of me shirtless. Taking her hand in mine, I quickly led her back through the forest toward the lab, toward a meeting of the minds that could possibly change…everything.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Hope everyone is enjoying reading my bizarre little story as much as I am enjoying writing it. Thank you so much for the reviews!

So, a few more rec's for you.

Ta Paixao – The imagery in her stories is absolutely fantastic, a true assault to all five senses.

mamasutra – Her story, The Lost, has owned me for weeks. It is incredible and almost complete.

As always, I do not own Twilight. Stephenie Meyer does.

* * *

><p>EPOV<p>

Bella caught me sniffing my armpits as we entered the hallway headed to the lab.

"What? I smell like ass," I mumbled as she burst into a fit of giggles. Wrapping my arms around her, I pulled her flush to my body, the smell of her arousal much more potent without panties to hinder her intoxicating scent. "I can smell you, too, sweetheart. That sweet pussy is begging to be cleaned by my tongue-"

"Really, Bells?" Emmett scoffed, exiting one of the private quarters. "Getting it on in the hallway with the parentals just through that door?" he asked, pointing toward the lab. "Tsk, tsk, tsk."

"How did you sleep last night, Em?" I asked, shielding my little mate from Emmett's incessant teasing. "The accommodations weren't too _rough_, I hope?" Emmett's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Sleep _tight_? Bed bugs didn't _bite_, I presume? Or did they?" I asked, eyeing the bite mark barely hidden at the juncture of his neck and shoulder.

Emmett's eyes widened in surprise as he finally realized we had witnessed the debauchery that occurred in that room last night. "Touché," he mumbled, clapping his hand over the bite on his neck and casting one last longing glance at his closed door before turning and heading to the kitchen.

"Now where were we?" I asked, pulling Bella back into my arms, kissing her soundly.

Rosalie sauntered through the same door Emmett had just exited. "I believe you were explaining your odd cleaning rituals-"

"Rosalie…finish that sentence and I will make sure mother knows exactly what happened to that mutant hamster when we were ten," my angel taunted.

Eyes wide as saucers, Rosalie gasped, "You wouldn't-"

"Oh, yes, I definitely would," Bella chuckled, crossing her arms under her breasts and giving her sister what I like to call the 'bitch brow'. "You are long overdue for some payback."

"Fine," Rosalie retorted, a sinister smirk crossing her face. "I'll tell you boy toy here all about Sam."

"Enough!" Didyme interrupted, suddenly appearing in the hallway and handing me a t-shirt. "We have much to discuss today and breakfast is ready. Let's go."

Rosalie huffed in annoyance and stomped toward the kitchen. Grasping Bella's hand in mine, we strolled in that same direction, Didyme following close behind.

"I trust you had a pleasant evening, daughter?" Didyme questioned, chuckling lightly.

"Yes, mother…very pleasant," my little mate responded, casting a devious look my way.

"Lovely!" Didyme retorted, brushing past us. "Oh, and I know all about what happened to that poor hamster," she whispered over her shoulder, before waltzing into the kitchen ahead of us.

"What _did_ happen to that hamster? And who the fuck is Sam?" I questioned my angel.

Rolling her eyes, she replied, "I'll fill you in later, it's a really long story."

As we entered the kitchen, I was hit with an incredible aroma. "Is that bacon?" I exclaimed. "Holy fuck, I thought I'd never get to eat bacon again!" Rushing over to an unoccupied plate on the large round table, I quickly shoved three pieces into my mouth, moaning loudly as the greasy goodness coated my tongue.

Looking around the table, I saw all of the men in our family in matching poses, groaning in appreciation. Once my brain had recovered from my bacon induced high, I noticed Ali was missing from the breakfast table. "Hey, Jazz, where's my pixie sister?"

"Se wa sshil ic-"

"God…chew, swallow, then speak, asshole," I retorted, mumbling "no fucking manners," under my breath.

Swallowing loudly, Jasper mumbled, "Sorry…Ali was still feeling sick this morning with an upset stomach. I was actually coming to find Didyme when my mission was waylaid by the sweet smell of bacon."

Didyme looked to Jasper at the mention of her name. "I do need to see to your Alice this morning," she said, "but I would like to have this conversation with everyone, as I am sure there will be other instances to arise."

"I'll go get her," Jasper mumbled around his mouthful of bacon, rising from the table and heading towards their room. A few moments later, Jasper returned carrying a sickly looking Alice.

"Hey, Pix, you okay?" I asked, beckoning her to come sit by me.

"I think all the stress is just catching up with me or something," she replied, shrugging her dainty shoulders, "it'll pass."

"Alice, dear, there is something I need to share with you," Didyme began, kneeling beside her chair. "I believe you are with child."

"What?" Alice shrieked, jumping from her seat, almost knocking Didyme over in the process.

"Please, be calm little one, I will explain everything," Didyme soothed, coaxing Alice back into her seat. We all waited patiently for Didyme to begin her explanation.

"My heightened senses can detect rapid cell division within your body. Such replication is indicative of fertilization. It is very early, perhaps only a few days," she reasoned. "Can I ask when you last-"

"Uh, that would be about two days ago," Jasper interrupted, "when Alice woke up after the blood transfusion." His face was a deep shade of red, belying his embarrassment at having this discussion in front of everyone.

"So, you did not conceive until after your DNA was altered," Didyme continued, a look of concentration weighing heavily on her face.

Alice nodded, slowly pulling apart a napkin in her lap.

"Well, this is good news, little one!" Didyme exclaimed, clapping with excitement. "I think I should tell you all a little about myself before we proceed any further on little Alice's pregnancy."

Settling into the chair next to Marcus, Didyme began unraveling her history.

"I am a Lanarian, from the planet Arion located in the binary star system known as Draco, approximately seventy two light years from Earth. It is very similar to Earth, but holds a multitude of differences. We could spend weeks on the unique properties of my home planet, but we simply don't have the time at present," she sighed. "Our species is humanoid, which means that we are…similar…in appearance and our genetic makeup is compatible with that of humans."

"And the 'mate' aspect?" I asked, clasping Bella's hand and bringing it to my mouth to softly kiss her palm.

"Yes, on my planet, we experience a sort of bond called mating. In simplistic terms, we are genetically matched to one person. Once that bond is formed, it is unbreakable. Mating awakens our animalstic side." Sneaking a subtle glance at Marcus, she continued, "It can be very…intense."

Sly snickers erupted around the table, as Rosalie and Bella both blushed furiously.

"As I have two beautiful hybrid daughters, I believe it's obvious that procreation between our species is definitely possible. Of the two species, the Lanarian DNA is dominant." Looking to Alice and Edward, she stated, "With the introduction of Bella's blood cells into your systems, I can only deduce that your DNA was…altered…making you both more Lanarian than human at this point. My alien traits were passed on to my daughters and, by extension, to you as well, hence the additional abilities you may find you now possess."

"What about my baby?" Alice asked, her hand laid softly on her abdomen.

"Your child will carry Lanarian traits, just as you do now," Didyme stated confidently, "but the pregnancy itself may be a bit…difficult…for you. You will have needs that must be met, but I will speak with you and your husband in private on those particular aspects. The point of this group meeting is also for the benefit of my daughters, as they have both found their mates."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, mother," Rosalie scoffed, leveling Emmett with a heated glare.

"Of course not, daughter. Emmett must have bitten himself on the neck," Didyme snorted, as the entire table erupted in laughter.

"I have no idea where the barbaric oaf got that mark," she huffed, crossing her arms in defiance.

Emmett abruptly pushed away from the table, mumbling, "Excuse me," before making a hasty retreat from the kitchen, hurt and rejection distorting his normally exuberant face.

"Wait, Emmett-" Rosalie began, before being thrown across the room by some unseen assailant, denting the wall with the force of her impact.

My furious angel rose from my lap, hand raised mid-air as she shouted, "Don't you dare! That man in there is one of the gentlest creatures I have ever met. He saved my life…my mate's life, and you cast him aside as if his feelings for you don't matter!"

Walking over to her sister lying on the floor, Bella looked down with disdain, "Finding your mate is a blessing, Rosie. Don't delude yourself into thinking you're not marked for one another. You are his as much as he is yours, but I will not stand by and watch you hurt him."

"I'm sorry," Rosalie muttered, "I don't know how to feel. It's all so confusing."

"We will speak of this later, Rosalie," Didyme said quietly, seemingly ashamed of her daughter's behavior. "Go find Emmett and see if you can soothe this hurt you've caused."

Nodding, Rosalie left the kitchen in search of her mate.

Bella ambled back to take her place in my lap, sighing heavily. I kissed her forehead lightly, trying to soothe the ache from the obvious fissure between her and her sister.

Giving her daughter a sympathetic look, Didyme continued with the education of our little group. "As I was saying, our kind are an incredibly fertile species. Multiple births are common, but the pregnancies can be hard on the mother."

"Uh, wow," I interjected, consumed by the possibility that I may have already impregnated my mate.

As if she could sense my concern, Didyme announced, "Just as with Earth women, our species also follow along a cycle of fertility. Neither of my daughters are due to enter their fertile state for another three months."

Breathing a sigh of relief, I turned to my mate, who seemed almost hurt by my exuberance.

"Do you not want children with me, Edward?" she whispered, tears filling her eyes and spilling down her cheeks.

Kissing away her salty tears, I replied, "Of course I do, sweetheart. I'm just a selfish bastard. I want you to myself for a while." Wiggling my eyebrows at her, I slowly ran my hand up her thigh under the table to emphasize my point.

"Point taken," she mumbled, opening her legs a little more for me. My fingers came in contact with an obscene amount of wetness before I remembered…my angel wasn't wearing panties.

Clearing his throat, Marcus finally spoke up, breaking me out of my reverie. "It is probably for the best that we only have this one pregnancy at the moment. As Didyme said, Lanarian pregnancies can be difficult for the female as well as her mate. Alice's dear pregnancy will be enough for now, I can assure you," he concluded, chuckling quietly.

"Should I be worried?" Alice whispered, looking to Didyme for guidance.

"No dear child," Didyme soothed, grasping Alice's shaking hand in her own. "Everything will be absolutely fine, I swear to you." Didyme rose from her seat and made her way toward the refrigerator, removing a covered bowl before returning to reclaim her seat.

"I prepared this especially for you, little one. It's made with the harvested fruit from our forest. It will aid the child with its rapid growth as well as ease some of the more…distressing…pregnancy symptoms you may experience."

Jasper leaned over and kissed her gently on the temple, placing his hands on her flat belly. Alice's worried mood seemed to ease as she swallowed a mouthful of Didyme's concoction. "This is delicious!" she exclaimed, shoveling in mouthful after mouthful of the gelatin like substance.

The loud scraping of a chair across the tile floor broke us out of our food induced haze as Carlisle rose from his seat. "Marcus, if you have some time today, I would really like to address the implications of the transformations that Edward and Alice have undergone."

"I am entirely at your disposal," Marcus chuckled, rising from his own seat and heading into the lab.

"Edward, I'd like for your and Bella both to come to the lab when you have a moment and give a blood sample," Carlisle stated, turning toward the door.

"Do we have time for a shower first?" Bella asked in a not so innocent tone.

"Sure, see you in an hour?" he snorted before leaving the room.

Bella dragged me from my chair, pulling me back down the hallway, the diminishing sound of laughter lessening the further away we got. I swear this was just like back at camp with no fucking privacy, except at least here we had a private bathroom.

Passing by one of the rooms on our right, we were stopped once again by a loud "Fuck yes!" from the other side of the door. "Harder, Emmett, harder!" Rosalie screamed as the door rattled on its hinges.

"Guess they made up," my angel whispered, snickering in delight.

"Yeesh, don't they realize there is a perfectly good bed-"

'"Don't finish that sentence, Mr. Masen. You have no concept of the wealth of…ideas…my inexperienced mind has managed to conjure. Trust me when I say very few of them involve a bed," she chastised, pulling her shirt over her head to tease me with her little white bra.

Growling at my tempting mate, I chased her into the nearest vacant room. Once inside with the door locked, she leapt on top of the bed, continuing her strip tease by removing that little white bra. I pounced at her, missing by an inch as she tumbled to the right, evading my twitching hands. She quickly toed off her shoes as I lay on my side on the bed, watching every movement. As she reached for the waistband of her yoga pants, I leapt again, only to land crouched on top of the dresser while my angel danced away once more.

Snarling, I palmed my hard cock through my jeans, her eyes immediately locking onto the movement of my hand. In a sudden stroke of genius, I quickly popped the button and lowered the zipper, pushing my jeans and boxers down just enough so that I could reach in and grasp my cock while the purple head protruded from the top.

She licked her lips as she watched me slowly pump my length, moaning my pleasure. Slowly crossing the room to stand in front of me, she bent slightly to take the head of my engorged cock into her mouth, suckling slightly.

"Dammit, Bella…shower…now!" I commanded.

Popping her mouth off my cock, she rushed to the bathroom and started the shower, stripping out of her yoga pants as she went. I climbed down from my perch and proceeded to the bathroom. Steam had already begun to fill the room to the point I was having a difficult time finding my angel.

"Bella?" I chuckled, following the sound of running water, "where are you, my little minx?" Reaching blindly forward, I expected to hit glass at any moment, but instead was met with slick skin. As the steam began to clear, I could make out my fingers as they lightly traced Bella's perfect breasts. I rubbed my thumbs across her nipples, pinching lightly at the ends, eliciting a throaty groan from my naughty angel.

"Edward, please," she whined, wrapping her hand around my cock and stroking all the way to the tip. "We only have an hour. Carlisle said so."

Realizing my time constraints, I hoisted Bella into my arms and pressed her into the wet tiles. Her legs wrapped around my waist as I lowered her down onto my throbbing erection, her moist heat so much hotter than the water beating down on us. She let out a small whimper once I was fully seated inside of her.

"Oh, God," she moaned, wrapping her arms around my shoulders as I slowly withdrew. She whimpered again as I slammed back into her, pushing her harder into the wall at her back. Afraid of what the friction might do to her, I pulled her away from the wall, grabbing her ass and bouncing her on my cock. The angle was a bit awkward and my thighs were beginning to burn from exertion, so I sat in the middle of the shower floor with me legs stretched out in front of me, my little mate still wrapped around me.

I leaned her back into the spray and watched fascinated as small streams of water made their winding way down her neck and off the sides of her breasts. Some ran down her toned stomach to gather in a small pool at her cute little belly button. I ran one hand up between her breasts, over her sternum and around her neck to wind my fingers into her wet locks. My other hand traveled to her hip, grasping tightly, as I began to pull her down onto my cock. She tried to sit up, but my grasp on her beautiful hair kept her in place.

"Let me move you, sweetheart," I cooed, hitting a spot inside of her that I knew would drive her wild. She began to writhe as my movements increased. A beautiful pink blush spread across her breasts and her gasps quickened, letting me know that she was climbing that blessed peak to ecstasy. Removing my hand from her hair, I placed it palm down on her abdomen, right above her pubic bone, and pressed while pulling her forcefully down on me.

Her answering cry let me know that I was stroking that sensitive spot just right, as her orgasm gushed from her, coating me in silky wetness.

Coming down from her high, her glassy eyes met mine as she sat up in my lap. A sexy smirk crept across her face as she climbed off my lap. Turning around, she dropped down to her knees, her legs straddling mine on either side, as she slowly lowered herself back down onto my aching cock. With her back to my chest, she began to bounce up and down on my lap, eliciting the most intense sensations from this position.

I reached around and groped her slick breasts, kneading them roughly while tugging at her sensitive nipples. One hand reached down to her sweet little pussy, still slick from her release. Reaching further, my fingers grazed the sides of my own cock as I slipped in and out of her. It was the most erotic feeling in the world. That is, until she slipped her own hand down, entwining her fingers with mine, while we explored our coupling.

"Fuck, Bella, I can't hold off much longer," I panted in her ear. "I need you to come again, naughty girl." I brought our joined fingers up to her little clit and began rubbing furiously as she bounced harder, anchoring her other hand into the hair at the base of my neck and pulling harshly. That little stunt awakened the dominant bastard in me. I wrapped her hair around my hand and pulled her head hard to the side, exposing the graceful line of her neck. I pressed on her clit as I sank my teeth into her neck, not enough to break the skin, but definitely hard enough to mark her. She screamed her release as my own orgasm roared through me like a freight train. It was several minutes before I was coherent enough to release her from my hold.

Soothing over the bite mark, I turned her in my lap to face me. Grabbing the soap and loofah, I quickly lathered her little body, paying extra attention to her filthy nipples. She giggled as she simultaneously washed my hair. Switching soap bottles, Bella began to lather up my body, stroking my hardening cock with her slippery hand, watching mesmerized as the suds multiplied with the speed of her strokes.

"Fuck," I moaned, closing my eyes as warmth began to spread throughout my belly. Covering her hand with my own, I stroked us faster, tightening my grip until I exploded into her little hand.

Giggling, she said, "We'll have to do that again soon, but next time I want to watch."

Shocked, I looked into her eyes as they darkened with lust. "You want to watch me stroke myself?" She nodded, licking her lips in anticipation. Leaning forward, I whispered, "Fine…as long as I get to watch you bury those little fingers into that beautiful pussy at the same time."

Without waiting for her response, I pulled us both to our feet to rinse the suds from our bodies. I stepped away from the water and quickly began to dry my body as Bella finished washing her own hair. Wrapping the towel around my waist, I pulled my little mate from the shower and wrapped her in her own warm towel. We were extremely lucky to have stumbled into the room where some of our bags had been stored.

After several minutes of rooting around, I emerged victorious, holding two of my t-shirts, panties and a bra for Bella, a pair of my jeans, and another pair of Esme's yoga pants.

"I guess I'll need to go get some of my own things at some point," she sighed, pulling the yoga pants up her legs.

"Not to bring up a painful subject, sweetheart, but didn't Rosalie say your room was pretty much destroyed?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that," she mumbled. "I'll have to borrow some stuff from Rosie."

I finished getting dressed just as Bella pulled my t-shirt over her head. "God…you in my clothes…never wear anything else," I beseeched.

Giggling, she pulled us out of the room and back toward the lab, trying to avoid my tickling fingers. Her tinkling laughter bounced off the walls, like the echo of chiming bells in a church steeple. That very moment, I vowed to hear that beautiful laugh every day for the rest of our lives.

Our jubilant mood was cut short as we entered the lab. "What did we miss?" I asked, as we looked around at the somber faces of our loved ones.

"We received another message from Simmons via the camera system," Marcus announced. Clicking the remote held in his hand, a disturbing image appeared on the large television screen mounted on the far wall.

I watched in horror as a woman in a white lab coat, bearing a name tag identifying her as Emily Wolfe, ran frantically through the compound corridors, screaming for help. Closing in on her were eight Dreg, all snapping and growling, fighting each other to get to her. She took a wrong turn, leading to a dead end, trying every door in that hallway to no avail. Within half a minute the Dreg were upon her, ripping her to pieces. Her screams finally cut off as her head was ripped from her body.

The feed cut from the gory scene to some kind of conference room, where ex U.S. Attorney General Simmons sat at the head of a long table. "Marcus, you know what I want. Deliver the girls to me or your entire staff will suffer the consequences. I have a new…pet…now, and he is lethal."

As much as I needed to know what that bastard was talking about, I couldn't take my eyes away from the screen. More importantly, from the monster _standing_ directly behind and to the right of General Simmons…the very bane of my existence…James.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews, guys! So this chapter has a little more info and a great big WTF!

As always, I do not own Twilight. Stephenie Meyer does.

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><p>EPOV<p>

"Oh you have got to be shitting me!" Emmett shouted, knocking the nearest stool within his reach to the ground with a deafening clang. I picked it up from the floor and slumped down onto it, shaking my head in disbelief.

My mind was a whirlwind of questions, the main one being how the fuck did James manage to survive? Those Dreg bastards were minutes from tearing into that fucking school when we hauled ass out of there.

"Edward?" my angel looked to me, her fear evident in her wide green eyes.

"I know, sweetheart," I sighed, beckoning her to come to me. Wrapping my arms around her trembling form, I pulled her into my lap, holding her tightly.

_I don't understand, Edward. How?_

"I have no idea, but I promise he won't touch you or our family," I vowed, hoping like hell I would be able to keep that promise.

Emmett paced around the lab, hitting the metal table with his fist on each pass, mumbling something under his breath about a skewer and a bonfire. Rosalie stepped into his path to stop his hypnotic circles.

"Emmett, I don't understand. Please tell us, what has you so upset?" Rosalie begged, caressing Emmett's face, trying to assuage the needs of her mate.

"That 'pet' standing behind Simmons? His name is James," Emmett began, plopping into the stool next to mine with his head in his hands. "He was a survivor staying with us back at the school in Alamo. He's the fucker that nearly killed Edward."

My brain was cataloging the conversation around me, as it desperately tried to compute exactly how James was _standing_. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that his spine was broken when we left him in that hallway. How in the world can someone heal from that?

Bella's eyes met mine, having come to the same conclusion in that moment. He bit me. My mind conjured the last memory I had of the monster, my blood dripping down his mouth and chin as he spat obscenities at me. Fuck my life.

"Do you think that's possible?" my angle whispered.

Shaking my head, I whispered, "I just don't know."

"Don't know what, son? Why is this James person such a problem?" Marcus asked, turning his full attention to the silent conversation Bella and I had been having.

"James was coming after us, sir," I began, running my hands through my hair. "Back at camp, he wanted to kill us men so that he could…take…the women. He was a sick bastard that had a following of loyal degenerates to do his bidding. They had already mutilated one woman at camp."

Gasps sounded around the room at that revelation. I had forgotten that no one but me had heard James' little admission. Shaking my head in disgust, I continued, "I couldn't…no, I wouldn't let him get to anyone else. He and his cronies attacked us, but not before leaving us vulnerable to a horde or Dreg making their way toward the school."

Not a bit ashamed for our actions, I stated, "Bella and I took on James and his friends. As I was preparing to end him, I got distracted. James bit me in an attempt to free himself…there was quite a bit of blood. I shattered his spine when I threw him into a wall. The fact that he is alive seems impossible enough, as we left him in that hallway, unable to escape from the approaching creatures. Add to that the fact that he was _standing_ in that video, as if miraculously healed-"

"You're thinking it was your blood, aren't you?" Carlisle pondered. "It is an interesting theory."

"But I don't get it," Jasper interjected, holding his wife and child securely in his embrace. "Edward and Alice required a major transfusion of blood before any changes began to occur."

"They were both injured…bleeding, yes?" Marcus inquired. "The process could have been hindered by the blood loss."

Tapping his pursed lips in concentration, Carlisle added, "I gave them both morphine for the pain."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Emmett asked, rising from his stool and wrapping his arm around Rosalie's waist.

"Morphine is an opiate," Marcus explained. "It depresses respiratory function and can lower blood pressure and slow heart rate. It is administered so that the body doesn't have to work as hard in repairing itself, but in your cases, it may have slowed the progression of Bella's blood through your bodies."

"We need to run tests, Marcus," Carlisle stated, turning to the medical equipment scattered across the counter top. "I want to get this figured out."

Nodding, Marcus joined Carlisle as we all organized ourselves around the two blood drawing chairs situated near the back of the lab. Bella and Rosalie both went first, giving enough blood to fill six vials each for Carlisle's tests. Jasper and Alice went next, followed by me and Emmett.

Jasper led an exhausted Alice back to their room to lie down for a bit while Bella and Rosalie joined Marcus to analyze some of the data he had come up with. It was easy to forget sometimes that my girl was a fucking genius. Emmett shared the same smug smile as he plopped down on a stool next to mine at a vacant lab table in the corner.

"It's incredible, right?" Emmett chortled, holding a large cotton ball to the crook of his elbow. "I mean, Rosie can kick my ass six ways to Sunday while solving complex physics equations in her head." Shaking his head, he mumbled, "I don't know whether to be scared or turned on." We both looked to the girls bending over their respective microscopes, completely oblivious to our lascivious stares. "Turned on," we both agreed at the same time.

Sporting a mischievous smirk, Didyme arrived to our table with orange juice in hand. "Drink up, boys. That was a large blood draw."

I slowly sipped the juice from my glass while, contemplating all of the events that had occurred in the last few days. I still had so many questions.

"Didyme, as we can't really contribute to the Mensa meeting over there, would you be willing to sit and chat with us? I just…I have so many questions," I finished hopefully.

"Of course, dear boy, it would be my pleasure." Didyme took a seat on the stool directly across from us. "Where would you like to begin?"

"Well, as we are family now, I would really like to know how you came to this planet. The reasons behind your journey," I asked, thirsty for knowledge that only she could provide.

"That is quite a request, son," she sighed. "First you must understand that the universe is not teeming with life as your scientists would have you believe. Well, at least not with intelligent life."

"God…the things you must have seen!" Emmett interjected enthusiastically. "I'll be honest, I never bought into the life on other planets hoopla, but…seeing you, I have been completely converted," he admitted, laughing at the ridiculousness of his statement.

"I should hope so," she retorted, chuckling lightly. "Although, you humans can be rather…obtuse."

"Is that a fat joke?" he countered, looking down to his muscled stomach in all seriousness.

"Emmett," I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose "Obtuse…not obese…you know what? Nevermind."

"As I was saying," Didyme continued, "there are very few planets within our reach that host intelligent life, so we tend to keep a close eye on the evolution of intelligent species. I will admit, we have…interfered…from time to time."

"Wait, wait…so how old _are_ you exactly?" Emmett asked.

Rosalie scoffed from behind her microscope, "Great tact there, babe."

"Sorry," he muttered remorsefully. "I was just curious."

"Pay her no attention, Emmett," Didyme soothed, grasping his hand across the table. "It is my daughter that lacks tact," she reprimanded, cutting a heated glance in Rosalie's direction. Turning her attention back to Emmett, she hummed, contemplating her answer. "Well, I guess by Earth standards I am over eight hundred years old."

A microscope slide shattered on the tile floor as Carlisle whipped around in disbelief, having heard her admission. "Really, that's…that's…I have no words," he stuttered. Marcus clasped a hand on his shoulder, chuckling lightly.

"Marcus, you old dawg! Banging an older woman! Hot damn!" Emmett exclaimed playfully. Didyme laughed as I rolled my eyes at Emmett's silliness.

"Regardless, I have only been on this planet since 1947-"

"1947? Wasn't that the year of that Roswell incident?" I interrupted, curious if my theory was correct.

Sighing, she confirmed, "Yes that was me."

Marcus laughed heartily from behind his microscope. "Weather balloon, my ass," he mumbled.

"He's correct, that was no weather balloon," she chuckled. "I was sent here on a mission…of sorts. One we will have to discuss in depth later. But my ship malfunctioned, and I crashed. I was pulled from my wreckage by a very open minded young ranch hand."

Lost in her memory of the event, she sighed as a lone tear slipped down her face. "Your military showed up within minutes. Apparently, they had been tracking my ship. They…they shot that young man, just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Marcus walked over and wrapped his small mate in his arms. "Sweetheart, I've told you, there was nothing you could have done to prevent that. They would have killed him regardless of if he had seen you or not."

"I know," Didyme sniffled, "I just detest the fact that people have been killed for simply acknowledging my existence. Such brutality in a species."

Kissing the top of her head, Marcus returned to his work so that Didyme could continue her story.

"I apologize for my emotional outburst-"

"No need," I soothed, covering her hand with my own. "I would be devastated as well."

Her eyes finally clearing, she continued, "So I was retrieved by your military and escorted to this very base sixty seven years ago."

"But Marcus is barely forty-"

"Forty eight actually," Marcus interjected.

"Really?" I questioned, cataloging that information for later. "Alright, so you were held here for a full forty three years before Marcus arrived. What did you do all that time?"

"Well the base was really small back then. It really was just an airfield at the time with a few buildings and hangars, but your government thought it the most…secure…location to house me. Small enough to guard and isolated enough for me not to escape. Military leaders came and went over the years, all contributing their own additions to the facility, until it resulted in what you see today."

"So what else is down here?" Emmett asked, leaning forward to the very edge of his seat. "I know you guys had to have been working on some cool shit, right? Space ships? Worm holes? Time travel?"

"Emmett, there are a multitude of experiments conducted in this facility. We have touched on all of your topics…and then some," she smirked. "You will find out all of it in time. There is no government regulation anymore. The world as we knew it is gone."

Satisfied with her answer, Emmett sat bouncing on his stool like a child on Christmas morning. "Awesome!" he exclaimed. "I so want to fly a space ship! Hmm, Captain McCarty…has a nice ring to it, right babe?" he asked Rosalie.

"Idiot," she mumbled, "still cute though."

"So you crashed back in 1947, but what was your mission here to begin with?" I asked Didyme, my curiosity growing with each riddle unraveled.

Didyme looked down at the table nervously, wringing her delicate fingers.

"They will need to know eventually, sweetheart. Might as well be now," Marcus sighed.

Defeated, Didyme looked at us both, silently beseeching us to be patient with her. "As I said, we have intervened in the past when a species is facing extinction. Life in the universe is too precious to let it flicker out like a candle when it can be prevented."

"Extinction? You mean us?" Emmett shouted. "Was it war? Our weapons of mass destruction? You know…our propensity to nuke each other?"

"Be careful, Emmett," I scoffed, "'propensity' is a big word for you. Don't hurt yourself. Now, shut up and let her finish."

"Not war or weapons of mass destruction, Emmett," Didyme continued, "something much more unavoidable. Your sun."

Everyone but Marcus, stopped their examinations and came to sit at the table with us, intrigued at the conundrum Didyme had presented. Even the girls seemed puzzled by this new development.

"Approximately five years from now, your sun will enter a phase that could kill every living creature on this planet," she stated calmly, as if she hadn't just told us the world was going to end. And here I thought we had it pretty bad already. Apparently shit _could_ be worse.

"It's what we, on my planet, call a Blue Shift. Essentially it means a change in the ultraviolet light signature of your sun. These newly developed rays will infiltrate every molecule on this planet, down to its very genetic code."

I slapped my hand to the table in frustration as all of the puzzle pieces finally clicked into place. "That's what this was all about!" I shouted, causing Didyme to flinch. "The girls weren't being experimented on because of their abilities. It was because they are immune to the effects of this blue shift, isn't it!"

"Yes," Didyme whispered. "My planet experienced a blue shift several millennium ago. Through genetic manipulation, my people were able to survive the effects. We thought we could accomplish the same feat here. Save you all from extinction."

"You should have told us mother!" Rosalie shouted, rising from her seat and storming from the room, Emmett following after her.

I took my seat and pulled Bella into my lap, nuzzling her neck, while I contemplated the absolute finality of what was to come.

Didyme took Bella's hand in hers as tears streamed from her face. "I'm sorry, my daughter. I didn't want to deceive you."

"Please tell us all of it, mother," Bella asked as she pulled her hand away, her voice void of emotion.

"Of course," Didyme acquiesced. "I explained the situation to your government decades ago. Their scientists didn't believe me because their technology had not advanced to a point where my information could be verified. It wasn't until about ten years ago that they began to take me seriously. Your sun had been exhibiting some inexplicable behavior as well as releasing many more X class solar flares than what NASA was letting on to the public."

Looking at Bella, she said, "Once the government accepted what was to come, it became utmost priority to find a genetic solution. We recreated a mini version of the blue shift down here and were testing different various genetic manipulations…in hamsters-"

My angel gasped in surprise. "We walked right into that experiment, didn't we?" she asked her mother.

"Yes, we had been radiating that mutated hamster for over an hour with no adverse effects," Didyme giggled. "Excited that we may have a viable serum, we broke for lunch, content to let the experiment carry on in our absence. Imagine our surprise when we returned to find my two daughters inside that radiated room rescuing that hamster."

"Rosalie busted the encrypted lock when we saw everyone leave the observation deck. We didn't know we were seen! Rosalie released it that very afternoon when we went topside," Bella whispered. "It was already so pitiful, deformed from what they had already injected it with. We felt sorry for it, so we released it."

"Yes, well, we had to go up and retrieve it," Didyme retorted. "All of the test subjects were chipped so we could track them if they escaped."

"Rosalie will be so disappointed," my little mate giggled.

"I take no pleasure in having to inform her that the little rodent was already dead from the radiation by the time we found it," Didyme said sadly. "But what was astounding was that you girls never exhibited any of the adverse effects from being radiated in that room. We knew then that you two were the key to the survival of this race."

"I don't understand," Carlisle mumbled, sighing heavily. "What were you using to inoculate the rodents?"

"My blood," Didyme answered. "My species may be genetically compatible with yours, but on a cellular level, my blood works like a toxin. It caused drastic mutation and sometimes death before we could even begin the radiation process. No matter how many serums we concocted, the results were always the same. But the girls…the girls were half human. Their DNA formed a cellular bridge, if you will, between my species and yours."

"Why did you let us believe the testing was because of our abilities?" Bella asked.

"Fear, stupidity, take your pick," she sighed. "I didn't want to scare you girls with the bleak finality of the future we faced if we didn't find the answer in time. You were just children."

"Well, the outcome would have been the same regardless," Carlisle stated. "The serum was tested and failed. Well, at least partially." Running a hand through his blond hair, he asked, "Wait, does this mean Edward and Alice would now possess the same immunity to the blue shift? What about the Dreg?"

"Those are questions I cannot answer with one hundred percent certainty, Carlisle," Didyme responded. "We honestly thought the situation hopeless as we had managed to kill off the human race before the sun did. Although, I do have my own theories on the subject."

"Is that why Simmons is still so desperate to get his hands on us?" Rosalie asked from the doorway, seemingly much calmer. "He wants to continue the experimentation?"

"Yes," Marcus confirmed, "he doesn't care if the rest of the human race has been decimated. He wants to survive the blue shift and rule over what's left of the world. The man has gone insane and he will have to be dealt with. I do believe that we should continue testing given the new developments we've discovered."

Looking around the table, my angel said, "Well now that we know more about what we're dealing with, let's get back to work."

"Hold on Bella," Carlisle said, grasping her shoulder to keep her in place. Turning to the rest of the team, he continued, "My preliminary blood tests were to see if Bella's blood would have the same transforming effect on all survivors, or if it was an anomaly given that Edward is Bella's mate and Alice is linked genetically to Edward."

"And?" Rosalie huffed in annoyance.

"It would appear that her blood would alter anyone, regardless of genetic compatibility," he answered, hesitating before continuing, "but I need to test it. I need to inject someone not genetically linked to Edward or Alice." Carlisle's eyes met Emmett's as Rosalie flew into a rage.

"Absolutely not!" she screamed, lurching toward Carlisle. Emmett grabbed her around the waist to keep her from pummeling Carlisle. "You will not test your theories on my mate!"

"Yes, he will, Rosie," Emmett cooed into her ear, trying desperately to calm her. "It needs to be tested, baby, for all our sake."

Turning to face Emmett, her eyes spoke volumes of the hurt and fear she held inside. Her faced morphed to one of stone as she spat, "Fine," before stomping from the room.

Emmett watched her go, his ache to soothe his mate a physical presence in the room. I for one knew all too well exactly how he felt.

"Come on, brother, she'll be fine," I comforted, leading him back over to the blood draw chair.

Carlisle approached with a syringe filled with Bella's blood. "Emmett, we're going to try this without morphine to test Edward's theory about James." Sighing wearily, he continued, "I have no idea how this may go, Emmett."

"I understand," Emmett responded. Looking to Bella, he pleaded, "Will you tell Rosie I love her? You know…in case something unexpected happens?"

"Of course," Bella whispered, "But you'll be fine Emmett, you can tell her yourself in just a little while."

Closing his eyes and extending his right arm, he looked to Carlisle. "Let's do this."

Carlisle found a prominent vein and inserted the needle, depressing the plunger a moment later and pulling away to observe the effects.

Emmett began to breathe deeply through his nose, shaking his head back and forth. A feverish blush bloomed across his face and down his neck as he broke out into a sweat. His eyes snapped open and he let out a mighty roar while still remaining seated.

"Get out!" he commanded. "This feels…wrong, leave now before it's too late!"

Stepping closer, I could feel the immense heat pouring off of him. I turned back to Bella. "Get everyone out of here. I'm staying with him. Go…now!"

Bella quickly ushered everyone from the room, pressing a pad next to the door to initiate the carbide door. Nothing was getting out of this room.

Emmett grunted through the pain, baring his teeth and growling at me. "I don't want to hurt you, Edward. Please go," he begged as his muscles began to twitch.

"I'm not going anywhere, Emmett. You've always been there for me and I will see you through this. Fight for Rosie, brother."

Emmett's eyes rolled into the back of his head as he began to convulse violently. I pulled him from the chair down onto the floor, unsure of how else to help him other than to make sure he didn't choke. God, his skin was on fire! I needed help in here.

I jumped off the floor and headed for the door, but before I could reach it, Emmett wrapped his massive arms around me from behind, squeezing tightly. He lifted me clear off my feet and flung me into the nearest wall as if I weighed nothing.

Dazed from the impact, I held my hands out in front of me, trying to reason with him. "Emmett, it's me…Edward. Please think brother. Come back to us…to Rosie."

His eyes seemed to clear at the mention of his mate's name. "Rosie?" he asked, his face clouded with confusion. He stopped his advance on me and slowly slid back to the floor, sitting Indian style. His breathing evened out as he seemed to take on a meditative state.

I sat across from him, waiting to see what his next move would be. After fifteen minutes, I noticed his skin seemed to lose its feverish flush and his breathing wasn't near as labored.

A few moments later, Emmett opened his eyes and looked at me. "Fuck, that was intense," he mumbled, rubbing his face.

"Oh, thank God!" I shouted, bowling him over in a brotherly hug. The carbide door retracted and Rosalie sprinted into the room, stopping just short of where we were entwined on the floor.

"Please tell me that Bella's blood didn't turn you into a switch hitter," Rosalie chortled, joy written across her face at the sight of her mate.

"I definitely don't bat for the other team, gorgeous," he laughed, leaping from the floor and scooping her up in his arms. Kissing her all over her face, he carried her from the lab and down the hallway toward their room.

Everyone else entered the lab immediately following the lovebird's swift departure, all jubilant that Emmett made it through the transformation. Bella leapt into my arms, kissing me soundly. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too, sweet girl," I hummed into her neck.

"While I am ecstatic that the experiment worked, I have a more pressing task now at hand," Carlisle sighed.

"What is it, Carlisle?" concerned for what could possibly be more pressing at this moment.

"I need you to find me a Dreg and bring it back here…alive."


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews, guys! So, here's another chapter for you!

Author Rec:

Edward's Eternal – This author has written many, many great stories. Copy Room, Volunteer 13, Easy as Pie, Penalty Shot…

Go read, you won't be sorry.

As always, I do not own Twilight. Stephenie Meyer does.

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><p>EPOV<p>

"Okay, Carlisle, let's go over this one more time," I sighed exasperated, trying to wrap my head around his insane request. "You want us to capture…not kill…a single Dreg, a creature that mostly travels in packs and is as strong and fast as we are. Then you want us to bring that creature down here…into our sanctuary…the only place where we've felt even remotely safe for the last eight months, so that you can run an experiment. Do I have that right?"

"Yes, Edward, look-"

"You're nuts, Carlisle. Find another way," I huffed, turning into the arms of my angel. There was no way in hell I was bringing one of those things down here, added security measures be damned.

"Edward, please be reasonable," Carlisle pleaded as he looked to Marcus for help in convincing me.

Breathing deeply, Marcus sighed, "He's right, Edward. We owe it to those people to try and right the wrong we've committed. What if the properties in Bella's blood could bring them back?"

Damn, he made a convincing argument. Bella stared deeply into my eyes. "I don't want you to go," she cried, "but my father's right. What if we can save them?"

Not being able to deny my angel anything, I slowly nodded my head. "Fine," I muttered, "but Emmett comes with me. I'm fairly certain we can lure one away from the pack. I'm just not sure how to get it down here. Where the fuck would we even keep it?"

It turned my stomach to refer to those creatures as if they were pets or livestock. For God's sake these used to be people. ..friends, neighbors, loved ones. I really wasn't sure if my conscience would survive this mission.

"We have a secure cell where we could keep the beast contained. The tricky part is getting it there," Marcus answered.

"I have an idea on that," Bella interjected, running her fingers through my hair to keep me calm through this crazy scenario. "I could go up with you both. Emmett could distract the rest of the horde while I lure the loner down to the compound-"

"No, absolutely not!" I shouted, leaping to my feet.

Bella pushed her hands away from her body and an invisible wall pushed me back against the table, pinning me. "I can hold you like this all day, Edward," she scoffed, trying to prove a point, before finally releasing me.

My irrational anger surged at her juvenile display. Sure, she could incapacitate an attacker if she had enough time to react, but she had zero experience dealing with the Dreg. I had been fighting these bastards for eight months. They were fast, ferocious, and completely unforgiving, leaving no room for mistakes. In order to prove my point to her, I flashed across the room, intending to tackle her to the ground. What a mistake that turned out to be.

Anticipating my attack, Bella flipped me over her shoulder and pinned me to the ground holding a hidden switchblade to my neck, her eyes ablaze with fury as she growled low in her throat. Suddenly her eyes cleared as she dropped the knife from her trembling hand. She stood and slowly backed away from me as if she couldn't comprehend what had just taken place.

"Bella?" I asked, confused as to her behavior. She had made her point. My angel was perfectly capable of protecting herself and I was an ass for ever thinking otherwise.

Tears filled her eyes as she shook her head in disbelief. Turning on her heel, she ran from the room sobbing into her fist.

"Bella!" I shouted, leaping to my feet. I was stopped short by Didyme blocking my path, her hands outstretched.

"Give her a few moments, Edward," she beseeched. "We aren't physically capable of harming our mates. The fact that she came so close without conscious thought has rattled her a bit."

"Fuck!" I spat through gritted teeth. "Why did I do that? Goddammit!" I shouted, kicking a waste basket clear across the room. "I'm sorry, but I can't…I-I need to go make this right. I won't just leave her to berate herself for something that was completely my fault."

I left the lab and headed for the one place I knew my angel would hide. The blue glow from the trees enveloped me in warmth as I traversed the path toward Bella's sanctuary. Slowly stepping into the clearing, I could see my little mate sitting in the center, knees pulled to her chest as she rocked back and forth, sobbing silently.

"I'm so s-sorry, Ed-ward," she hiccuped, refusing to meet my eyes. "I have no idea what that was. It w-was p-pure instinct, I s-swear. I w-would never hurt you."

"Oh, sweetheart," I sighed, gripping my hair in anguish over the hurt I caused my tiny angel. "I know that. Please don't blame yourself," I begged, approaching her as I would a wounded animal. "This was entirely my fault, Bella. I should have never behaved that way."

My knees met the mossy floor as I fell at her feet, prepared to beg for her forgiveness. Before I could utter a single word, she leapt into my arms latching her lips onto mine, the taste of her salty tears assaulting my tongue. Her mouth moved forcefully in an obvious attempt to show her remorse.

"Baby, please slow down," I mumbled around her bruising kiss, gripping her arms to slow her advances. She pulled away, hurt and rejection flashing across her beautiful face. I held her in my lap despite her attempts to scurry away from me. "Bella, just hear me out baby," I soothed as she finally calmed enough to listen.

I wiped the damp hair from her forehead and kissed her little button nose, looking deep into those beautiful green eyes. "Sweetheart, I should be the one to apologize," I began. "My stupid male ego wouldn't allow me to see how much stronger than me you really are. I was stupidly trying to prove a point. Your reaction to my hostile display was completely natural and utterly deserved."

"But Edward, I almost hurt you-"

Kissing her to silence her ridiculous response, my hands moved around to her back, rubbing soothing circles there. Pulling away once more, I whispered, "It was not your fault, Bella. I brought that reaction out of you, and for that I will be forever sorry."

"Fine," she huffed, "we're both sorry." Suddenly finding appeal in our current position, she began slowly grinding into my lap. "I know they're expecting us back, but I need something-"

"Shh, sweetheart, let me take care of you," I cooed. Grasping her hips, I positioned her so that my rigid cock would hit her little clit just right. We may not have had much time, but I would definitely make the most of it. I gently moved her back and forth on my lap, speeding my movements in time with her gasps. "Fuck, Bella, this won't take long," I gritted through my teeth.

"Almost, Edward… a little more…fuck!" she exclaimed, finally reaching her peak as she bucked wildly against me. She continued to move on me as she came down from her high, bringing me closer to my own release. "God, your cock feels so…fucking…good," she moaned. Her eyes hooded with lust, she slowly leaned in and bit gently on my throat right above my Adam's apple.

That little display of dominance went straight to my engorged cock. My eyes rolled back in my head as I erupted from her ministrations. "Fuck, fuck, fuck…" I chanted, breathing like I had just run a 10K marathon. I slowly came back to myself to see my little minx looking at me with insurmountable pride.

"I love you more than my own life, Edward," she whispered, kissing me lightly.

"As I do you, my Bella," I smiled, my heart bursting with love for this little creature. My mate.

"We need to go," Bella stated matter-of-factly, and rose from lap pulling me with her. "I hope you'll reconsider and let me help, Edward."

"Of course, sweetheart, on one condition," I said, pulling her to a stop to face me. "We plan this down to the last detail, Bella. No slip-up or improvisations, okay? It would…end me, if something were to happen to you."

"Yes, I agree to you condition," she smirked as she leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss me on the nose. Swatting my butt playfully, she giggled, "Now let's go."

We hurried quickly back to the lab, intercepting a very smug and satisfied Emmett, filling him in on our little mission on the way.

"Is it safe to bring one of things down here?" Emmett asked. "I mean, I'm all for saving humanity and all, but there are some…sacrifices…I'm not sure I'm willing to make." I could tell by the look on his face that he was obviously thinking of Rosalie as well as the rest of our little family. "I guess if that makes me a selfish bastard, so be it," he sighed.

"Don't sweat it Emmett," I said, clapping him on the back. "I said the exact same thing, but I was outvoted."

Carlisle breathed a sigh of relief as we entered the lab. "So, what's the verdict?" he asked, looking between the three of us.

"We'll do it," I sighed, squeezing Bella's hand as she turned to smile at me. "We'll go up in about two hours." Sitting around the table, we began to plan our assault. "We'll make our way topside through the back entrance, coming out in that little office. We can wait there for a bit and maybe we get lucky and a few Dreg will just stumble by."

Emmett snorted, "Sure, and pigs will fly out my ass. You know as well as I do that the last time we were topside there wasn't a single Dreg to be found. Now I don't know what happened to them or where they went, but don't fool yourself into thinking that it will be that easy."

I knew Emmett was right. The chances of everything going seamlessly were slim to none. Suddenly, our brainstorming session was cut short by an alarm sounding and flashing red lights in the corner of the room.

"What's going on?" I shouted over the blaring horn as Marcus darted from his seat to a laptop on the counter. A few moments later the noise stopped while the lights continued to flash. Rosalie came running into the room followed by Jasper and the rest of our little group.

"Fuck," Marcus breathed, "there are three of them. It looks like they are climbing down from the old ventilation duct in Sector 8."

"Three?" Rosalie gasped. "I can't handle three on my own."

"Three what?" I screamed, losing my patience with this situation. "Will someone please fucking fill me in here?"

"Dreg," Marcus replied, running his hands through his salt and pepper hair. "Simmons has released three Dreg onto our side of the compound."

"Well, that was easy," Emmett snorted. "We need a Dreg…Simmons provides."

"It will be harder than you think, Emmett," Rosalie countered. "These fuckers stick to the corridors until they find a victim. They are much harder to kill in close quarters."

"So we shoot close range-"

"No guns," Rosalie demanded. "The walls are made of the same carbide metal as the doors, so bullets will ricochet. It's why I didn't shoot you two fuckers when I first caught up with you."

Blowing out a long breath, Emmett said, "Well that makes shit a hell of a lot harder."

"What about the other people on this side of the compound," Esme asked obviously worried for the safety of the other residents with three Dreg on the loose.

"We have procedures in place," Marcus responded. "They have safe areas to go to if the alarms sound."

Relieved, Esme stepped away from the table pulling Jacob and Seth to a separate corner of the room so they would be out of the way.

"What's the plan?" Jasper asked, intent on joining the skirmish. Alice stood shaking behind him, tears streaming down her face as she wrapped her arms around her stomach.

Didyme shook her head forcefully, pushing him away from the table and back toward Alice. "Your job is to protect your wife and baby at all costs. Do you understand?"

Realizing his egregious error, Jasper turned and enfolded Alice in his embrace, whispering soothing words in her ear until her shaking subsided.

"We can work this to our advantage," I interjected. "Emmett's right, we need a Dreg and here it is. Marcus, can I see a layout of this Sector 8?"

Pressing a button on his laptop, a blue 3-D image of Sector 8 appeared above our table, with the route from here to there displayed in green and the position of the three Dregs marked with an X.

"Well, ain't that some Tony Stark shit…" Emmett mumbled under his breath.

"Bella, are you still up for a little game of cat and mouse?" I asked, looking at my tiny mate. As she nodded, I proceeded to lay out the plan formulating in my mind. I studied the Dreg's current location and the fact that they weren't moving very fast at this point. They would probably amble around for bit until they picked up the scent of prey. Jasper began spreading out our weapons as I explained my plan.

"This will have to be timed just right. Bella will head up the passageway to get their attention, before turning and hauling ass toward the cell where Marcus wants to contain this thing," I explained, looking at Bella pointedly. "Emmett you will set up here," pointing to a hallway off the main corridor, "and Rosalie will take position here," pointing to a second hallway running parallel to the one Emmett would occupy.

"As the Dreg pass, Emmett will take out the last one to cross his hiding place. Rosalie will take out the next one as it passes by her, leaving the only remaining Dreg to follow Bella to the cell," I finished, satisfied with my plan of action.

"Where will you be?" my angel asked, eyeing me inquisitively. "There's no way in hell you plan to just leave me alone with that last Dreg."

"You've got me pegged, sweet girl," I whispered pulling her into my lap and kissing the shell of her ear. "I will run this corridor here," I stated, pointing to a passage that ran parallel to the main corridor, only separated by about fifty feet. They were connected by the hallways where Emmett and Rosalie would be positioned.

"Everyone understands their roles, yes?" I questioned, strapping Bella's weapons to her hips and outer thigh and my own to a harness Rosalie had given me that fastened over my shoulder and across my chest. Rosalie and Emmett were suited up similarly with knives in place.

"Yes," my team replied, double checking their weapons.

Marcus handed me a small device resembling a handheld Playstation that showed all our locations and those of the Dreg.

"How does this thing work anyway?" I asked, staring at the X's on the screen.

"The computer mainframe differentiates individuals by heat signature, marking anything with a body temperature over one hundred and four degrees with an X," Marcus replied.

"Huh…I had no idea the Dreg still maintained that high of a body temperature," I pondered. "Guess I never wanted to get close enough to find out." Turning, I motioned for my team to follow me. We needed to get this done and get back to the lab.

Marcus caught me at the door. "I just want to let you know we will be sealing Sector 8 as soon as you and everyone else are clear," he sighed looking at both of his daughters. "This is the second time Simmons has managed to unleash those creatures into that sector. We apparently have a problem there which I have been unsuccessful in solving."

"We'll be in and out, Marcus," I reassured. Looking at my angel and Rosalie deep in conversation, heads bent towards each other, I whispered, "They're strong girls. I don't think you have anything to worry about."

"Let's hope you're right. Be safe," he replied, ushering us out of the room before closing the carbide door, sealing him and the rest of our family inside the lab.

Slipping back around the forest and into the main part of the compound, we crept quietly through the corridors until we came to Sector 8, its title blazoned in big black letters above the open doorway. Bella stood patiently and waited for the three of us to make our way up the second corridor to our positions. She was tucked away down a secondary hallway waiting for my signal before making herself known to the slowly approaching creatures.

As I silently made my way up to my own position, I was able to catch glimpses of the three perpetrators without being seen. There were two men and a woman. Of course the woman was trailing behind the other two and the fucker in front was as big as Emmett, all dirty and covered in gore. The woman's blouse was hanging in tattered shreds revealing a bra that used to be white at some point. Dried blood streaked her hair and face, black grime continuing down her hands and legs to her feet where she limped along with one shoe missing. The men weren't much better, their vacant eyes darting around, while their keen noses sniffed the air for fresh meat, grunting and gnashing their decaying teeth. The stench of rotting flesh was overwhelming as we all moved into our respective locations.

_Okay, baby, we're in position. You're good to go._

I could tell the moment Bella turned that corner. All three heads snapped in her direction, sniffing the air as if savoring the aroma of a fine bottle of wine. Once their attention had been drawn by Bella, Emmett and Rosalie were able to move closer to the main corridor, preparing for when the Dreg passed by. The herculean atrocity passed first followed closely by the second male.

As soon as the female surged by Emmett, he pounced, wrapping one arm around her waist and dragging her into his hallway, while his other hand retrieved his knife and sliced into the woman's neck, almost severing her head in one fell swoop.

Rosalie snatched the second Dreg into her snare, tossing him over her shoulder before kneeling over him, driving her blade up under his chin and into his skull.

With the other two disposed of, I was free to give chase to the grotesque giant hurtling toward Bella at full speed. They were both moving so fast, I was actually having trouble keeping up.

_He's catching up to me, Edward. There are too many twists and turns between here and the cell._

Looking down at my portable map, I tried to figure an alternate route that would bring me out closer to Bella, but there just wasn't one. She was taking the most direct path to the cell and there was no way I was going to be able to catch up before then. Rosalie and Emmett were following about fifty feet behind me, also speeding to get to Bella.

We were less than one hundred feet from the cell when Bella let out a shriek of pain.

"Bella!" I screamed, pumping my legs as fast as possible. As I turned the last corner to her location, I came upon my worst nightmare. The beast was tossing Bella from side, squeezing her neck as she struggled against his hold.

Every time she threw her hands out, using her ability to combat the creature, he would recover too quickly, the limited space in the corridor restricting her ability to defend herself. I charged toward the monster, my rage all consuming. As I tackled him to the ground, Bella dropped like a stone, unconscious but breathing.

Grappling with this miscreation, I continued to move us down the path toward the cell, snarling at my mate's abuser. I finally managed to reach the door to the cell, which miraculously opened without my having to activate the pad beside it. With one swift kick to his torso, the savage brute hurtled into the cell crashing into a table in the corner. He quickly recovered, gaining his feet and charging the door as it closed, bouncing off and rebounding into the room.

With the Dreg safely tucked away, I turned back to see Rosalie and Emmett bent over my injured little mate. Rushing back to her, I fell to my knees beside her. "Oh God, Bella," I cried, my hands flitting over her little form, trying to ascertain the extent of her injuries.

"She'll be okay, Edward," Rosalie reassured, "we just need to get her back to a bed where she can rest."

Lifting Bella into my arms, I made my way quickly back to the lab, clutching her little body close to my chest. The door to the lab opened just as we reached it, a frantic Marcus pacing just inside.

"Is she okay?" he rushed to me, reaching for his baby girl. "We were watching the events on the camera system."

"Rosalie said she'll be fine. I would like Carlisle to examine her though," I responded, laying my still unconscious little mate carefully down onto the nearest table.

As Carlisle approached, stethoscope in hand, my angel began to come around. I tried to soothe her as best I as she moaned, turning her head from side to side.

"Where does it hurt, angel?" I asked, running my fingers through her hair.

"Everywhere," she cried in pain, breaking my heart. "Just let me rest for a bit and I'll be good as new," she whispered for both my and Carlisle's benefit.

Alice flashed to my side, reaching for Bella's hand. "Take her to my room. I'll lie with her until she's healed."

Lifting my angel into my arms once again, I carried her down the hall and into Alice's room, laying her down on the bed and covering her with a blanket. Alice crawled in next to Bella, scooting down until they were cuddled side by side.

"Thanks, Pix," I whispered before leaning down and kissing Bella's forehead. "You know where I'll be if either of you need anything," I whispered, before ducking out of the room and heading back to the lab.

Everyone was in a heated debate as I entered the room. I narrowly dodged a microscope being hurled at Emmett by an infuriated Rosalie.

"Whoa!" I shouted, ducking out of the way as it shattered against the wall. "What the fuck did I miss?"

"This fuckwit seems to think he can order me around like I don't have a mind of my own!" Rosalie shouted. "It's _my_ weapon…_my_ design…and the safest way of injecting that Dreg bastard."

"She's right, Emmett," Marcus sighed. "No one can use that crossbow like Rosie."

Defeated, Emmett acquiesced, sitting down on one of the stools. "I'm sorry, Rosie," he muttered. "I just thought that, after what happened with Bella, it might be safer if either Edward or I stuck the behemoth."

"What weapon?" I questioned, relieved that a plan was in play for injecting the creature with Bella's blood. Something I had been worried was overlooked ever since leaving for Sector 8.

Rosalie marched over to a cabinet on the far wall, pulling out a small contraption that strapped to her wrist. It appeared to hold two empty vials on each side. Holding her hand out for me to examine, she explained, "This is a wristbow, my own personal design. It holds two self-depressing syringes on each side that deliver immediate injection upon impact."

Turning her wrist over in my hand, I examined the magnificent piece of technology. "I'm not even going to ask what prompted you to create such a weapon."

"As my mother said, we have a multitude of…projects…down here," she smirked. She walked over to the mini fridge and removed two vials of Bella's blood, loading them into the wristbow. "Let's get this done," she stated confidently, exiting the lab and heading for the cell, Emmett and I tagging along as backup.

The room itself was situated with a large shatter proof observation window on one side while the door, also equipped with a smaller shatter proof window, was located on the opposite side. I would have to remember to ask Marcus the purpose behind such an odd layout.

I moved to the observation window, while Rosalie and Emmett stood right outside the door. The Dreg seemed to be wandering the room aggressively, lingering by the door. Needing to pull its attention away from that entryway, I pounded my fists against the window. The huge creature's head whipped around in my direction, its glazed eyes searching out the origin of the loud banging, hunting for prey. It surged in my direction, hitting the window with a resounding thud and bouncing back two feet.

As it advanced toward the window again, Rosalie engaged the door, stepping just inside the room. Her right arm extended, she took quick aim and let loose one vial, hitting the beast directly in the jugular vein located in the hollow under the right ear and just below the jawbone. The syringe depressed upon impact, delivering the intended dose of Bella's blood.

Rosalie hastily backed out of the room, engaging the door once more. The Dreg smacked the offending needle from its neck and turned, charging in Rosalie's direction, only to be stopped short by the carbide door.

Emmett and Rosalie joined me at the observation window, watching the massive monster hurl its disfigured fists at the door, growling and snapping. After one minute, its movements began to slow and it backed away from the door, pacing slowly around the room.

Two minutes after being injected with Bella's blood, the captured Dreg wandered over to a corner of the room, plopping noisily to the floor, where it gave one last wet gurgle and promptly died.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews, guys! I know I was supposed to update Tuesday, but I've been sick and my editing is just not up to par when I'm running a fever! I promise I'll make it up to you. To those of you who celebrate the holiday, Happy Thanksgiving! Here's a little something for you to read while you're standing in line waiting to check out at Walmart.

As always, I do not own Twilight. Stephenie Meyer does.

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><p>EPOV<p>

"Dammit!" Carlisle shouted, pounding his fist on the metal counter.

Emmett, who had been snoring away at the table, jolted from the loud disturbance, his head popping up from the table like a jack-in-the-box as he shouted, "Pineapple!" Rubbing his eyes and wiping the drool from his chin, he mumbled, "Sorry, if no one needs me, I think I'll hit the hay for a bit."

"Sure," I muttered, turning back to my earlier position, hovering behind Bella's left shoulder as she sat at her microscope.

"I swear to God, Edward, if you don't stop hovering-"

"Sorry, sorry," I muttered, moving back to the table to take Emmett's vacated seat. I was really trying my best not to bug my little mate, but it had three days since the captured Dreg had died. I came so close to losing her that day. If it had been up to me, Bella would have still been in bed, but she was adamant that her body was healed and was eager to jump into the fray of figuring out what went the hell went wrong.

Marcus and Carlisle had been burning the candle at both ends, bouncing so many scenarios off the other that my head began to spin from the constant back and forth.

"Antibodies!" my angel suddenly shrieked.

"Not you too, Bella," Carlisle groaned. "Go get more sleep if you're just going to shout obscure words at us."

"No, no…antibodies!" she insisted, pushing her stool away from the table and turning to fully face everyone. "It's what's missing from the Dreg's blood!"

A look of confusion clouded Carlisle's eyes before he finally whipped his head around to look at Bella. "Oh God," he whispered softly. "You're right." Looking into his microscope again, he began jotting notes on a piece of notebook paper without taking his eyes from the slide, completely oblivious to the fact that he had already run off the paper at least four words ago.

Rolling away from his microscope, he mumbled quietly to himself for a bit before finally turning his train of thought on us. "So, the Dreg were all people who contracted the virus same as us, so why do we have antibodies and they don't?" Carlisle questioned scratching his head with his pencil.

It was as if I was suddenly struck by a bolt of lightning, the answer was so clear to me. "They never recovered from the virus…they're still sick."

Marcus looked at me sharply, understanding finally dawning in his eyes. "They still have the fever. The computer mainframe recognizes them because of their high body temperatures. I just never put two and two together," he sighed.

"So how do we rectify it?" Carlisle asked.

"We don't," Bella answered, her sad eyes meeting those of her father's. "We can't. We've already tried." Big fat tears began pouring from Bella's eyes as she crumpled into a small ball on the floor.

Before I could reach her, Marcus swept his weeping daughter into his arms, holding her tightly. "Bella, I'm going to keep telling you until my dying breath, this was not your fault…it was mine."

Didyme approached her mate and daughter, wrapping her arms around them. "Both of you listen to me carefully. This is the order of evolution and natural selection. Populations mutate in response to environmental changes; those who mutate survive and those who don't mutate perish. It is the natural order."

Carlisle looked despondent as he approached the huddled little family. "Are you certain there is nothing more to be done?" he asked, hope for the human race fading from his eyes.

Wiping her wet eyes, Bella shook her head, sniffling loudly. "When the virus first broke out, we studied every variable, tried every possible solution. Nothing we did worked-"

"Nor will it," Marcus interrupted, "given the information we now have. You all survived the virus because you had something embedded deep within your genetic code that allowed your immune system to produce antibodies, to adapt to the virus instead of being destroyed by it."

"A faulty gene," Rosalie suddenly blurted to the room, looking up from her latest lab readout. "All of you have Imerslund-Grasbeck Syndrome, an extremely rare genetic disorder. It's basically the inability to absorb the vitamin B-12. In a normal person B-12 binds with a protein in order for the body to be able to use the vitamin. In your cases the gene mutation changes the shape of the protein, so B-12 is unable to attach to the protein rendering it useless to your bodies."

"But what does that have to do with the virus?" I asked, completely confused by the scientific aspects and bewildered at the fact that I had an undiagnosed genetic disorder.

"The virus wiped out the antibodies as soon as they were formed," Rosalie continued, "which is why we couldn't detect antibodies in the deceased Dreg. You survived because your gene changed the shape of the antibody and the virus was unable to destroy it. It also explains why the antibodies were later able to bond with the antigens from Bella's blood."

"We've never been able to accurately calculate a percentage of survivors," Carlisle sighed. "If people with this genetic disorder were the only people capable of surviving the virus without turning into Dreg, what percentage of the population are we looking at?"

"Please understand, this condition is very rare-"

"How many?" Carlisle huffed as he paced the lab, clearly frustrated with Rosalie's hesitation.

Rosalie lowered her gaze to the floor as she mumbled, "Less than six thousand."

All the air left Carlisle's lungs in one large whoosh as he sat heavily back onto his stool. "That's all that's left of us? Of the entire human race?" he cried, looking around the room at the crestfallen faces. "Less than six thousand people out of six billion. Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm not one hundred percent sure of the number of survivors," Rosalie whispered. "I _am_ sure about the genetic disorder that you all have and the fact that there is nothing we can do for the Dreg. I can also tell you that this particular genetic disorder is most commonly found in North America."

"So, where do we go from here?" I asked, looking to my angel. Bella extricated herself from her father's embrace and slowly made her way over to me, climbing into my lap.

She slowly traced the dark circles under my eyes and kissed the tip of my nose. "We move forward with what we know," she whispered. "We can't save the Dreg, but maybe we can save the other survivors."

"The Blue Shift-"

"Yes," she answered. "Our next step should be to determine if your transformation made you immune to the Blue Shift."

"I may be able to help with that as well," Rosalie piped in, a small smile gracing her lovely face at the possibility of relaying good news instead of bad. "While I was waiting for the other lab results to process, I took the liberty of combining some of Edward's blood with the radioisotope we synthesized as a Blue Shift substitute. The results were…promising."

"Promising?" I questioned, wishing like hell she would be a little more specific.

"Yes, promising," she countered in a sassy tone. "As in the Blue Shift probably won't boil your blood, but we won't know for certain unless we put you into that radiation room."

"Well," I breathed into my little mate's neck, "no time like the present. Let's go light me up like a fucking Christmas tree!" I didn't want to wait one minute longer in that lab. The overwhelming sense of loss that had descended over Carlisle was slowly drowning me.

"Edward, sweetheart, we can wait-"

"No, we really can't," carrying her out of the lab and back into the main compound with the others scurrying to catch up. "Plans need to be made and that can't happen until we know everything and have all the facts. So…which way?"

"Take a left, Edward," Didyme instructed from behind me. "The Blue Room is six corridors up and on your right."

As we reached the chamber, I lowered Bella to her feet and kissed her deeply before moving toward the door, intent on getting this over with.

"Oh no you don't!" she shouted pulling me back to her and kissing me fiercely once more. Breaking the kiss with heavy gasps, she licked her lips enticingly. "I'm going in with you. In case you forgot…I'm immune. I think Rosalie is right and you will be as well. Really this is just a formality."

Turning back to her parents, she smirked, "If you guys don't mind, I'm going to stay with Edward during the experiment to make sure he's okay. You can…uh…lower the viewing blind over the window."

We entered the room hand in hand. Looking around, the chamber itself was pretty nondescript. The walls were white with two metal tables in the center and a stool in the corner. My distorted reflection on the chrome surface smirked back at me as I stalked my little mate around the table. I fingered one of the nylon straps that wound around the table, playing with the buckle at the top. "Kinky," I snorted, looking at Bella and then back down to the strap, her beautiful little giggle bouncing off the walls, exciting me beyond words.

With every step I took toward the little minx, the temperature in the room seemed to increase by a degree. "How long will we be in here?" I asked, my voice sounding low and husky.

"About an hour and a half," she retorted, retreating one step for each one of my advances.

"I'm sure we can think of _something_ to hold our attention, while Marcus gets this little experiment set up," I chuckled darkly.

Bella quirked her eyebrow at me before reaching down and removing her shirt, leaving her in a sweet little blue bra.

"Blue, Bella? That's…fitting," I snorted, pulling my own t-shirt over my head. Sweat began to trickle down my brow as my lust ramped up another notch. I watched as she followed a bead of sweat travel from my temple down to my jaw.

Her breathing increased as she licked her lips in anticipation, quickly toeing off her sneakers and hooking her thumbs into the waistband of her pants, pulling them off in one swift movement, revealing her matching blue lace panties. "If you can catch me," she teased in a sing-song voice, "you can _have_ me."

And thus, our game of predator versus prey began. I stalked her around the tables, shedding my own clothing as I went until I was utterly naked. I could have caught her on several occasions, but her acrobatic movements were highly entertaining…especially when I ripped that lacy blue bra from her lithe little body.

"Tsk, tsk, Bella," I taunted, the blue scrap hanging from my index finger. "Not fast enough." Tossing the shredded garment over my shoulder, I pounced again, effectively trapping her in a corner with both arms planted on either side of her head.

Bella slowly slid down the wall and to the floor, in what I thought was an attempt to escape once again, continuing our little game of cat and mouse. I was so wrong. As soon as her knees hit the floor, she slowly lapped at my leaking erection before taking my entire length into her mouth. Bobbing her head slowly, she took me to the very back of her throat, her little button nose buried at the base of my cock, before sucking her way back to the head, swirling her tongue at the tip. She repeated this process over and over, driving me that much closer to utter insanity.

I removed my hands from the wall and reached down to her silky chocolate tresses, lightly fisting each side to hold her still. "My little minx," I murmured. "You like to play games with me, yes? Tease me until I lose my fucking mind?"

Nodding, the little vixen giggled around my cock, sending vibrations through me causing me to let out a loud moan.

Looking back down at my naughty angel, I choked out, "Fine, let's play a little game to see if you can keep up with me." Thrusting my aching cock forward, I pumped fast and hard, holding her head still while I fucked her warm little mouth. I pushed to the very back of her throat and stilled as I roared out my release, coming in streams as she swallowed around me.

My erection never softened as I popped her off my cock and hoisted her up into my arms, pushing her back into the corner and wrapping her legs around my waist. With one hard yank, her panties ripped away in my hand as if made of tissue. I kissed her hard, tasting myself on her tongue as I thrust deeply into her. I set a punishing pace in and out of her, watching as her eyes closed, grunting with every forceful thrust. I could feel her walls quiver around me as she raced toward her release.

"Don't you dare come yet, Bella," I commanded in a husky voice. "We are nowhere near done."

Her eyes snapped to mine as she tried in vain to withhold her climax, biting her lip so hard she nearly drew blood. "God, please Edward-"

"No," punctuating my denial with an incredibly deep thrust. "You'll come when I say you can come."

Pulling away from the wall, I carried her to the center of the room and sat her bare bottom on the cold metal table. Bella whimpered as I withdrew from her scorching heat. I pulled her down from the table and turned her around with her back to my chest, my throbbing cock sandwiched between us.

Ever the tease, Bella reached back to run her fingers through my hair at the base of my neck, pulling roughly at the ends while she ground her pert little ass back against my crotch.

My wandering hands made their way to her glorious breasts, tugging harshly on her rosy nipples, bringing them to a hard point, pinching relentlessly as she moaned her pleasure. Leaving those beautiful globes, I ran my hands slowly up her arms and around the back of my head to link my fingers with hers. Breaking her hold on my hair, I brought our joined hands down to the table top where I swiftly tied her hands together with the nylon strap.

"Hmmm, seems I have you in quite the predicament," I whispered into her ear. "Lean forward Bella."

She gasped loudly as her overheated nipples met cold metal, her torso flattened against the table top. "Edward, please," she begged, rubbing her ass back against me.

Bending my knees slightly, I thrust up into her, filling her completely. Smacking her right ass cheek lightly, I withdrew only to rapidly thrust in again, drawing a low groan from my naughty little mate. "I'm going to fuck you so hard, angel," I whispered bending over her back, "you won't be able to walk straight for a week."

Straightening back up, I pumped her hard and fast. Every time I felt her close to climaxing, I withdrew, slapping her on the ass before plunging back in. I fucked her relentlessly, denying her orgasm time and time again while she pleaded for release, pulling aggressively at her restraints.

As my own orgasm began to burn through me, I leaned down and commanded, "Come now, Bella," sinking my teeth into her shoulder as she shattered around me. My orgasm seemed to last forever as I slumped forward, pressing Bella harder into the table, gingerly kissing the bite mark I left on the back of her shoulder.

Bella hummed incoherently while I removed the nylon belt from her wrists. I began to slowly redress her, showing just how much I adored her despite the rough manner in which I just took her. I left her relaxing on the table while I quickly donned my own clothing.

"Uh, guys," Jasper's voice sounded over the intercom. "You're officially done cooking and since Edward isn't a puddle of atomic goo on the floor, I'm guessing he is indeed immune to the Blue Shift as we suspected."

Chuckling, I took Bella by the hand and led her from the room. Both Alice and Jasper were waiting on the other side of the door, knowing smirks plastered to their faces. "Fun experiment?" Jasper chortled.

"Very scientifically…satisfying. Where's Marcus?" I questioned, curious as to why he wouldn't stick around to observe the outcome of his own hypothesis.

Shrugging, Jasper replied, "Don't know. He and Didyme stopped by our room on their way back to the lab and asked us to come straight here."

As we neared the lab, I could hear raised voices, but what we walked into was utter chaos. Carlisle paced the room in circles, tossing anything within reach and maniacally pulling his hair, while Didyme tried to soothe him.

"What's happened?" I demanded, the frantic atmosphere sparking like electricity in the air.

"Esme's gone," Emmett whispered quietly as tears dripped down his face. "She was taken."

"What!" I shouted. "By who?"

"James," Marcus stated. "We received another video through the camera system." With a click from the small remote, James appeared on the large screen, his evil sneer distorting his face into that of a monster. Tied to a chair next to him was Esme, her tear streaked face drained of all color.

"Well, well, color me surprised. Look who I found," James taunted the camera as he reared his hand back and slapped Esme hard across the face, a bruise forming almost instantly with the force of the blow. Esme could only whimper as a small stream of blood trickled from her nose.

"If dear motherly Esme is in this house of horrors, then that can only mean that the rest of the merry little family is here as well." James' eyes darkened and he licked his lips looking over at Esme. "How about a trade?" Turning back to the camera, he palmed his crotch and sneered, "Edward, I want that sweet piece of ass you took from me. Bring her to me and I won't rip sweet Esme here to shreds. I believe you and I both know that with my…enhancements…her death would be exceedingly gruesome and painful."

James turned and walked behind Esme's chair. Leaning down, he ripped her shirt open, revealing the white bra underneath, and roughly groped her breasts for all to see. She whimpered in pain and closed her eyes as James moved one hand up to her throat and began choking her. His behavior carried on for a full twenty seconds, before he finally released her. Tears flooded her face as she gasped for air.

James casually strolled back toward the camera. "Bring me my treat by midnight tonight, or dear Esme will pay for your selfishness. Marcus will know where to find me, won't you Marcus?" he laughed evilly before the feed disconnected.

Carlisle ran to the nearest trash can and emptied the contents of his stomach. We all waited patiently for him to regain his composure before hashing out the details of our new objective. However, Carlisle's next sentence left me reeling for a moment.

"I want you to change me," he said calmly, approaching Bella for permission. "That bastard is only giving us until midnight. That's six hours from now…plenty of time for me to undergo the transformation just like Emmett did."

"Carlisle, are you sure that's the way you want to do this?" Emmett asked, concerned for the man we had looked up to as a father for the past eight months. "I have to tell you, man, it was no picnic."

"I don't care!" Carlisle roared, turning on Emmett. "There's no way in hell that monster is getting Bella and I'll die before I let him touch Esme again."

"How in the fuck did he get to Esme to begin with?" I asked, shaking at the thought of what she would endure at the hands of that fiend.

Didyme and Marcus shared a look of apprehension between them before Marcus responded. "Esme has taken it upon herself to attend to the other residents and researchers living in this part of the compound. Her motherly tendencies know no bounds," he sighed wearily. "About halfway through your radiation experiment, a fire alarm sounded in that sector. We're still not sure how James managed to gain access, but in all the madness, he managed to take her."

"I feel so responsible," Didyme cried. "I told her you all were safe here. I'm so sorry!" She collapsed into Marcus, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Hey, hey," Emmett soothed, kneeling down next to Didyme. "As Esme would say, blame benefits no one. She would never blame you, so please don't be so hard on yourself. Let's just get her back, yeah?"

Finally losing his patience, Carlisle stalked over to the small refrigerator and removed a syringe of Bella's blood. Before any of us could stop him, he jabbed the needle into his neck and depressed the plunger.

With wide eyes I watched in horror as Carlisle slumped lifelessly to the floor.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Thank you for your reviews! I love to hear what people think as the story progresses and I appreciate your feedback.

As always, I do not own Twilight. Stephenie Meyer does.

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><p>EPOV<p>

I paced the room alone, allowing no one near me as I refused to be consoled. Furious at Carlisle for his rash behavior, I was simply unable to contain my anger and think in a rational manner. I should have been planning how to get to Esme, calculating the multiple ways that I was going to torture James, but instead I was…babysitting.

"Fuck," Carlisle whined from the table where he was strapped down. Breathing heavily, he whipped his head from side to side, his ice blue eyes landing on mine. "Is this how it's supposed to go? Nothing about this feels right."

"It definitely isn't how Emmett's transformation went," I spat, frustrated with our current predicament and still seething from Carlisle's abrupt behavior.

"Edward, I'm sorry-"

"Save it, Carlisle," I huffed, crossing the room to stand beside him. "Do you understand what you did to us? To me?" Hearing no audible reply from my mentor, I continued my angry rant. "You fucking died, Carlisle. Your heart stopped for over two goddamned minutes."

Backing away from the table I resumed my furious pacing. My mind would never erase those images of Carlisle lying on the floor, his dead eyes gazing at nothing. Bella performing CPR while Marcus pumped relentlessly on Carlisle's chest. Alice sobbing loudly in the corner of the room where Jasper held her confined. Emmett pounding the wall as tears streamed from his eyes. I would carry those images with me forever as one of the most horrific moments of my life.

In this post-apocalyptic world in which we find ourselves, any one of us could be killed at any moment. That is simply the reality we live with every day. But Carlisle…Carlisle did this to himself in a knee jerk reaction. He could have waited…he _should_ have waited.

"Edward, please…" Carlisle pleaded, breaking me out of my dark thoughts. "I didn't have any reason to think that my transformation would be any different than Emmett's."

"That's just it, Carlisle…you didn't think," I sighed, closing my eyes against the onslaught of hellish images once again playing on a continuous loop. "You jabbed that needle straight into your neck, hitting an artery instead of a vein, creating a blood clot the size of fucking Montana. If it weren't for Bella's blood, you would have damn well stayed dead."

"If memory serves, Edward, your own rash decision to protect Bella against James left you with a knife in your gut. How is my situation different?" Carlisle retorted, moaning in agony as Bella's blood moved though his system. "Esme is mine just like Bella is yours," he panted, gritting his teeth against the pain. "I won't leave her to be mutilated by James."

"I understand, Carlisle…I do," I relented, leaning my forehead against a nearby wall. "I just wish you had gone about it a different way. It's not like any of us were going to deny you. Hell, every survivor will eventually have to go through this transformation if we have any hope of surviving the Blue Shift."

The abrupt ripping of nylon caught my attention as I turned back to Carlisle to see his restraints lying in shreds. He was seated on the table top, breathing deeply through his nose, his face flush with a sheen of sweat on his brow. His eyes were closed as he ground his teeth together, his fingers gripping the table hard enough to leave indentations.

"H-how did you contain this…it's so much," Carlisle muttered, trying desperately to maintain his calm despite the muscular tremors wracking his entire body. "I f-feel like…I can't…I-"

Flashing back to his side, I placed a restraining hand on his shoulder. "I know, Carlisle," I murmured. "Just try to stay calm, the control will come."

Flexing his hands again, he marveled at the perfect craters left in the metal surface, detailed down to his very fingerprints. "I could mold this table as if it were made of clay," he whispered. "W-what do I do with all…this?" His face took on a panicked expression as the foreign sensations began to carry away all rational thought.

"Carlisle?" I called, forcing his attention back on me. "Focus. This was the hardest part for Em-"

"I have to go find Esme," he punctuated, jumping from the table and heading for the door.

As I stepped in front of him to block his path and prevent his departure, he caught me off guard, grabbing my arm and tossing me back over the table. I hit the wall with a loud thud and was instantly back by Carlisle's side.

"I'm just as strong and fast as you, old man," I taunted, hurling him into the adjacent wall. "And I'm _really_ sick of being tossed around. Now, you aren't leaving this room until you calm the fuck down. Concentrate, Carlisle. You can control this."

Carlisle charged at me, wrestling against my hold while raging against me. "We don't have time for this!" he spat, turning in my grasp while trying to wriggle free from my clinching fingers.

"We have time, Carlisle," I placated, forcing his gaze back to me. "The others are preparing for the raid as we speak. You…are the hold up."

"Fuck," he relinquished as he dropped heavily to the floor, holding his head in his hands. "I have to get her back. I can't be without her-"

"Trust me Carlisle, I understand," I admitted wearily, reflecting back on the dark thoughts I had with Bella in the hands of that Dreg. "You would do anything for her. So get this shit under control and let's fucking get her back, yeah?" Squatting down in front of him, I offered my hand.

Looking up at me, Carlisle's eyes seemed to finally clear as he grasped my hand, pulling himself from the cold floor. "I'm ready…and Edward? I'm sorry."

"I know," I acknowledged as we headed for the door. Just as I reached for the indicator pad, the carbide door opened to reveal a furious Emmett, his hands on each side of the door frame, blocking our exit.

"Emmett, son," Carlisle sighed, "I'm sor-"

His words were suddenly cut off as Emmett wrapped both arms around Carlisle, squeezing the breath right out of him. "Don't you ever scare me like that again, old man," Emmett wept.

Rosalie appeared behind her mate, trying to gently pry the two men apart. "We're all set, so we really need to get moving. Jasper and Alice are staying behind with mother and father, so it will just be the five of us."

Clapping each other on the back, Emmett and Carlisle finally relinquished their holds, wiping tears from their eyes. "You have my word, Emmett," Carlisle promised as Rosalie led us down the corridor towards a part of the facility I had never been in.

"This is our weapons room," Rosalie stated as she activated the pad beside the carbide door. As it opened, I spied my little mate inside with Jasper gathering quite the collection of oddities. "I'm going to have to give you all a crash course on how to use some of these contraptions."

Rosalie began flitting around the room, matching each occupant with their respective array of weapons best suited for them. There was a slightly larger version of Rosalie's personal crossbow attached to my wrist complete with small arrows. My chest holster was adorned with a vast selection of knives and a small hatchet sat at my hip. My final weapon was a type of baton strapped to my back. However, with the click of one button, spikes engaged from the tip turning this thing into one scary fucking mace. Did I mention it also emits an eighty thousand volt electrical charge? Bad ass.

Chuckling at my internal gushing, Bella snickered, "Men and their toys…"

"Hey, don't laugh," I retorted. "That baton is fucking cool."

"You've been hanging around Emmett too much."

"Hey!" Emmett cried, taking offense to Bella's conjecture, before shrugging his shoulders with a goofy grin on his face. "Could be worse, you know."

Equipped with our lethal accessories, we exited the armory, leaving Jasper to return to Alice. Bella was now in possession of the little hand held monitor, constantly checking and rerouting to find us the clearest route to Esme. Stopping just outside a door labeled Sector 3, I tried to extend my senses to gather information from the other side of that door, but the sensory signals I got back seemed garbled…echoed, making my head pulse with a dull throb.

"Those particular skills won't necessarily help you down here, sweetheart," Bella murmured, picking up cues from my obvious distress. "The elements in the walls magnify your sensory output like radar bouncing back. Everything will seem amplified."

"Well isn't that fucking peachy," I muttered, rubbing my temples to ease the ache.

Looking down at the monitor, Bella motioned for Rosalie to open the door. "I don't see anyone within range on the other side. I think it's safe to proceed."

The carbide door retracted to reveal a deserted corridor on the other side. While I wasn't exactly anticipating Simmons' welcome wagon, I found it rather odd to be so…quiet. Weapons drawn, we proceeded silently through the maze of hallways, only stopping twice to hide as soldiers passed unknowingly by our hidden location.

Once the coast was clear, we proceeded to the cell where Esme was being held prisoner. James was correct when he said Marcus would know where they were keeping Esme. It was the exact same cell the government officials used to hold Didyme all those years ago before she was given free rein to roam the complex at will. The room consisted of an outer chamber situated like living quarters and an inner sleeping chamber complete with a bathroom and closet.

What Simmons didn't know was there was a secret entrance in the back of the inner chamber, well-disguised for undetected entry and exit. That's how we would be getting in. Bella led us around the opposite side of the cell to a back hallway, where she unlocked a door marked 'SUPPLY CLOSET', which was indeed filled with various supplies and cleaning products.

Once we were all inside the larger than average closet, Bella moved a shelving unit to the side to reveal an identification panel. Pressing her hand against it, a portion of the wall silently slid away to reveal a small opening leading to the closet inside the cell. Bella checked the monitor as we emerged into the closet, closing the hidden passageway behind us.

"There is one person on the bed in the inner chamber," Bella whispered, "and two people in the outer chamber."

Pushing his way past us and out of the closet, Carlisle burst into the inner chamber before any of us could stop him. "Esme!" he whispered into the inky darkness. "Can you hear me?"

"Goddammit, Carlisle! It could be anyone in this room!" I hissed, activating a small LED glow stick as the rest of our group entered the sleeping chamber. The small light illuminated a prone female form lying perfectly still on the bed.

Caution thrown to the wind, we all rushed forward, finding Esme strapped to the bed in one of those godforsaken hospital gowns just like the one Bella had been wearing when I found her. Esme's face and body were barely recognizable, having been badly beaten. Her breathing was wheezy and her bruising was indicative of internal bleeding.

Completely incensed, Carlisle tore the restraints from her body lifting her from the bed and tucking her into his chest. Emmett took a defensive stance next to him as we slowly retreated to the closet. Before we could make our escape, the door to the outer chamber swung open hitting the wall with a resounding thud as two figures entered the room, hands raised in surrender.

"Well, well, I told you they would come, Aro," Caius sneered, approaching is slowly, leery of the multitude of weapons trained on him.

"You did indeed, Caius," Aro replied sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Why if it isn't dear old Uncle Caius and Uncle Aro," Rosalie taunted stepping toward the center of the room. "And here I was hoping you had both been eaten by now. Ah, such is my luck."

"Rosalie, my little niece, ever so tactful," Caius ridiculed. "And sweet, sweet Bella," he sighed lasciviously, eyeing my little mate as she cowered behind me. "I'm so glad that you are still with us. I can honestly say that I can't wait to see…more…of you. It's been far too long."

"What makes you think you will live long enough to see the outside of this room?" I questioned, stepping forward as my rage began to peak. This monster had hurt my Bella and he _would_ die by my hands.

Clapping his hands maniacally, Aro snickered as he watched my approach, eventually reaching into the pocket of his tunic. Holding out his hand, he turned his palm face up to reveal a small communicator of sorts. "I push this button, and the whole fucking cavalry descends. Now back up and listen."

Taking a step back toward Bella, I motioned for Aro to continue his little spiel.

"Caius and I have decided it is no longer…advantageous…for us to remain with Simmons. This James fellow is unstable at best and we simply don't trust him," Aro relayed, his beady little eyes shifting to each member of our little group. "We know that Marcus will develop a solution to our current planetary dilemma."

"Spit. It. Out. What the fuck do you want?" I huffed in annoyance, losing my patience with his rambling.

"To be brought back into the fold, of course! We are family after all," Aro smirked.

"Over my dead body," I growled menacingly.

"That can definitely be arranged. I assure you, James wants nothing more than to kill you all. Even little Bella…after he has consumed her, of course. He is definitely…not right," Aro concluded, shaking his head. "So, as I see it, you have two choices. Take us back with you and we will give false leads away from where we are headed or refuse our offer, and I can call the soldiers right now. They are keeping an entire room full of those creatures captive just for you."

"Fine," I spat. I honestly could not waste any more time dealing with these two sick fucks. Esme wouldn't last much longer. We needed to move.

Smiling sinisterly, Aro pressed the button on the radio and brought it to his mouth. "Evers, this is Stuart," Aro spoke, disguising his voice. "We show movement in Sector 18. That sector's been closed for weeks, so it has to be the intruders! Move your team to intercept immediately."

"Yes sir!" came a regimented response.

"All good," Aro cackled, tucking the small device back into his tunic pocket. "We can leave through the front. Everyone guarding this sector will be heading to Sector 18. James put us in charge of overseeing that dear injured woman." His fake sincerity for Esme dripped from his foul mouth.

Nodding, we all headed in the direction of the outer chamber. As Bella passed by Caius, he reached out and grabbed her forearm, yanking her toward him. I reacted instantaneously, flashing to stand directly in front of him. I forcefully removed his hand from her arm and lifted the puny man in the air by his throat as he feebly struggled against my hold.

"You don't touch her…ever. Family or not, I will kill you myself if you so much as look in her direction," I seethed. "Once on our side, you will stay away from her…from all of us. Are we clear, you sick fuck?"

Clawing at my fingers, Caius choked out an inaudible yes before I dropped him to the ground like the trash he was. "The same goes for your, Aro," I threatened striding past them both, my arms wrapped around my traumatized little mate.

"Well, it appears James was right, little brother," Aro sneered. "Bella's little play thing has been…enhanced."

"He's not the only one, you decrepit maggot," Emmett mumbled giving Aro a good shove as he passed, chuckling as he tumbled to the floor, crying out in pain.

We exited through the front, cutting off a good five minutes worth of backtracking, before make our way back to our side of the compound completely unscathed. It did not escape my attention that we would surely live to regret this deal we had struck with the Devil. Once we made it back to Sector 3, Rosalie sealed the door shut behind us.

"Anyone else think that was just way too damn easy?" Emmett sighed, running his hand through his curly black hair.

Casting worried glances at each other, we all nodded in agreement. Deciding to deal with the consequences later, we quickly made our way to the lab while Aro and Caius struggled to keep up. We actually lost them before reaching Hydroponics, but Rosalie doubled back to retrieve the buffoons.

Carlisle marched Esme straight into the lab, laying her on the table as Marcus began taking her vitals. Jasper and Alice sat stoically in the corner, anticipating what was to come.

Completing his examination, Marcus shook his head slowly as he removed the blood pressure cuff from Esme's arm. "She won't make it, Carlisle," Marcus stated sadly, "not without Bella's blood."

Anticipating this outcome, Carlisle had already retrieved a vial from the refrigerator and was back by Esme's side before Marcus had even finished his sentence.

Didyme laid a hand on Carlisle's arm, stopping him from injecting Esme. "No Carlisle, she's too far gone. She will need a direct transfusion."

Bella was by her side in the next moment, pushing up the sleeve of her shirt while Didyme prepped the tubing and needles. My little mate shook slightly as she pulled a stool over to sit next to the table, placing a comforting hand over Esme's.

I stood behind her and wrapped my arm around her, trying to soothe my angel's frayed nerves. "It will be alright, Bella" I whispered in her ear. "She will be good as new very soon."

"I know," she sighed, "I just wish we had done this sooner." Shaking her head, she turned her gorgeous green eyes to me. "Once Esme is healed, I would like to speak to everyone about our remaining residents that have not been changed...especially Jasper."

"I'll make that happen, sweet girl," I cooed, leaning down to kiss her forehead. A sudden commotion caught my attention by the door.

"I said unhand me, Rosalie!" Aro demanded from just outside the door.

"And I said get bent, Uncle Aro," Rosalie retorted, "you aren't welcome in that lab."

"You've brought my brothers back?" Marcus questioned, quirking his eyebrow at me while wrapping Didyme up in his embrace.

"There were…mitigating circumstances," I explained. "I will let them spin their own tale, but I have to say…I don't trust them. They should be watched."

"Yes," Marcus agreed, "my brothers were always…shady, only looking out for themselves. They cannot be trusted."

Our quiet conversation was interrupted by Carlisle's loud gasp. "Look! It's working!" he exclaimed, running his fingers down Esme's partially healed cheek. "She feels hot, too."

"Then the fever has already set in," my angel whispered, looking at Esme's receding bruises. "It shouldn't be long now."

The commotion by the door got louder and more distressing by the minute. Emmett's booming voice had now joined into the mix, but the brothers were adamant about seeing Marcus and would not back down.

Esme began to stir as her fever spiked. We didn't give her morphine so that she would wake once her injuries were mostly healed. She shook her head back and forth on the table, moaning incoherently.

"Shh, Esme," Carlisle cooed, "you're okay. It will all be over soon." He gently ran his fingers through her chestnut hair, trying to soothe her as the last of her bruises receded, leaving only perfect porcelain skin behind.

Our attention was drawn from Esme as the carbide door opened, Aro and Caius spilling into the room with loud grunts followed by a frantic Jasper pushing his way through, stepping on the brothers like cockroaches under his feet.

Didyme rushed forward to see to Jasper. "What has happened, dear boy?"

"It's Alice!" he exclaimed, tears pooling in his eyes. "Please, please come…she won't wake up."

"Watch where you're stepping boy!" Caius spat, righting himself and pulling Aro from the floor. "I don't know who you think you are-"

A rumbling growl erupted from Esme's mouth as the sound of Caius's voice met her ears. She leapt from the table and was across the room in half a second, pinning both brothers to the wall by their puny necks, her eyes completely feral and her teeth bared, preparing to strike.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Sorry, sorry, sorry for the delay. I promise this won't be a habit. Ugh, writing with the flu has been…interesting. In my few moments of clarity, I go back to edit and find Edward has taken up with a leprechaun. While not completely out of the realm of possibility for the story ideas my brain produces, it doesn't exactly jive with this particular tale. So without further ado…the next chapter…sans leprechaun…

As always, I do not own Twilight. Stephenie Meyer does.

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><p>EPOV<p>

"You don't want to do this, Es," Carlisle pleaded, trying to coax her into releasing the rats she had pinned to the wall. "They aren't worth it. Find the control...please, sweetheart."

Her eyes darted around the room, checking every other face for signs of hostility. Finding nothing but acceptance and compassion in all our expressions, she took one last look at Aro and Caius before tossing them to opposite ends of the room where they crashed respectively, cursing loudly.

Esme flew into Carlisle's arms, sobbing with relief. "I t-thought they w-were going to k-kill me," she cried. "All I w-wanted was t-to see you o-one last t-time."

"I've got you, Es," Carlisle murmured quietly, scooping her into his arms and heading for the door. Turning back to face me, his eyes held a murderous glare. "I want to know what the fuck happened to her," he demanded, casting one last scathing look at the brothers as they attempted to haul themselves from the floor. Before he could inflict his own damage upon the cretins, he stomped through the doorway and down the hall, shushing Esme quietly as he carried her somewhere they could be alone.

Both cringing in pain, the brothers managed to right themselves before returning to the table to take their respective seats next to Marcus.

"Now that the raving lunatic has left the room, you mind telling me just what nuttiness you've concocted down here now?" Aro sneered reproachfully, turning his hateful gaze toward Marcus. "You must be working on something new with these…people. We all know the serum didn't work so what have you done now?"

"It's none of your fucking business, Aro!" Rosalie shouted as she invaded her uncle's personal space once again before Emmett managed to pull her away. "If I have to explain that one more time, I'll rip you to shreds." She continued to spit obscenities as her mate dragged her to the far corner of the room, trying to calm her.

"I wouldn't provoke her further, brother," Marcus chuckled while reaching for his brother's swollen wrist and an ace bandage. "Rosalie has never been your biggest fan."

"We deserve to know what that was, Marcus-"

"You deserve nothing!" I spat, kicking the stool out from under Aro, watching with glee as he toppled to the floor, landing on the injured wrist Marcus had just begun wrapping.

"Don't take you impotence out on us, you imbecile. We were doing what we were told," Aro mumbled, scrambling to regain his footing. "James told us she was just a pawn…no one of consequence. He gave her to us, but told us we couldn't kill her yet. How were we supposed to know?"

"Are you so monstrous that you would sexually assault and beat a defenseless woman to the brink of death?" Marcus questioned.

"To be perfectly honest, we thought she would die before ever regaining consciousness," Caius sneered from the corner.

"Carlisle should have let her kill you both," I muttered, turning to Bella as she sat stoically at the table. It was obvious she was extremely uncomfortable being in the same room with her uncles. We'd never really had the opportunity to discuss what had occurred between her and Caius, but having met the man, I could honestly say that ignorance was bliss.

At the time, I was glad that Carlisle was able to intercept Esme's attack on the vermin. Esme was a kind soul who never wished harm on anyone. Maybe it was the fever or some deep rooted memory that recalled her earlier experiences at the hands of her abusers. Either way, the sound of Caius' voice triggered the beast in Esme, and I was determined to discover the truth. Since I would probably end up killing Caius if I was forced to speak with him, I chose Aro as my intended target for interrogation.

I dragged a stool closer to where Aro sat perched on his seat, the raw scrape of plastic against tile grinding in my ears. Plopping onto the seat, I leaned forward menacingly, my face mere inches from Aro's, the stench of his hot breath wafting around me like putrid cigar smoke.

"Why did you really come back?" I asked him in a sickeningly reserved voice, tramping down my natural instinct to pummel him bloody. "Frankly, I don't fucking believe your little story about wanting to come back to the family. What are you really here for?"

Aro's eyes widened a bit, before narrowing once more, looking at me shrewdly. "I don't know what you mean. I explained that we don't trust James-"

"And yet you were following his every order. Like I said, I don't fucking believe you," I retorted, grasping his injured wrist and giving it a firm twist. I could feel my temperature rising as Aro howled in pain.

"Stop, stop!" he cried, trying feebly to pull his arm from my ironclad grasp. "Marcus, why are you allowing this?" he asked, looking to his brother for aid.

"Don't look at me, Aro. You brought this on yourself," Marcus muttered. "I don't trust your intentions either."

Suspicions were building in my mind as I watched him closely. The longer I glared, the more I could feel my mind pulling toward him, almost like invisible tentacles reaching into Aro's brain…into his very memories. My vision became hazy and picture after picture began to form in my mind.

_Simmons pleading and cursing from inside a room full of Dreg as they ripped him apart. James handing the small radio to Aro, urging him to make contact when it was safe. Caius beating Esme unconscious when she __wouldn't __respond to his questioning as Aro watched emotionless from the corner of the room._

I jerked back as if I had been slapped, almost falling off the stool completely before regaining my balance. My sudden recoil drew the attention of everyone in the room, confusion evident on all their faces. Bella was by my side a moment later.

"Edward? What's wrong?" she asked, placing her hand on my shoulder, her eyes full of concern for me. "You're pale and shaking."

Jumping up from my seat without a word, I grabbed Bella's hand and marched out the door and down the hall, taking my little mate to the only place I knew we could talk alone. Once safely ensconced in Bella's sanctuary in the trees, I dropped to my knees clutching my head in my hands, trying to quell the throbbing that had been building since the…whatever that was…back in the lab. Dream? Vision?

Shaking my head to try and dispel the haze, I watched as small droplets of crimson landed on the soft mossy ground. I reached two fingers up and rubbed gently under my nose, only to pull back bloodied fingertips.

Gasping in shock, Bella knelt beside me, grasping my face in her hands. "Look at me, Edward!" my angel demanded, her voice echoing like wind chimes in my abused head. Pinching the sides of my nose, she tipped my chin down to help stem the flow of blood.

"What happened back in the lab, Edward?" Bella asked, clearly panicked at my abrupt ailment. "You were fine and then you sort of…zoned out. Neither you nor Aro said a single word for at least two full minutes."

"I…I don't know," I mumbled, my voice muffled from my pinched nostrils. "There might be something wrong with me, Bella."

She released her hold as my nose bleed dried up. Wiping the residual mess from my upper lip with her sleeve, she leaned down and kissed me gently. "Tell me, sweetheart. We'll figure this out together."

I recounted with complete clarity the emotions leading up to the event, how I could feel my temperature rising as my anger and frustration with Aro increased. Then, how my mind reached into Aro's and _pulled_ images from his head. My angel listened patiently as I described each vision…or memory…as if I had witnessed it with my own eyes.

"Am I crazy?" I asked, looking up at her worriedly.

"No, sweetheart," she soothed, wiping my hair from my forehead. "But I do think we should talk to my mother. She might be able to provide some insight. Do you think the memories were accurate? Do you think Simmons is dead and my uncles are working directly for James?"

Taking a deep breath, I exhaled slowly, silently weighing all of the possibilities before answering. "Yes," I sighed, the resounding echo in my head finally beginning to subside, providing some much welcome relief. "I can't explain it, but I know that everything I saw was real."

"Then we need to get back," my angel urged, rising to her feet and pulling me with her. We hurried back the direction we came, stopping to quickly check in on my sister. Didyme and Jasper had left the lab so quickly before Esme's attack, I hadn't had a chance to determine the severity of the problem.

Ducking my head into the room, I nodded at a weary Jasper sitting in the corner, his eyes trained closely on my pixie sister. Alice was sitting up in bed carefully sipping a cup of soup as Didyme sat at her bedside.

"Everything okay?" I asked softly, gazing at my sister as she adoringly rubbed her flat stomach.

"Yes, there was no need to panic," Didyme responded, patting Alice's thigh as she nodded in agreement. "As I explained, this pregnancy will have drastic differences from a normal human pregnancy. Alice will sleep longer and more deeply, somewhat resembling a suspended state."

"I was just so very tired," Alice whispered, looking to Jasper as her eyes filled with tears and her chin began to quiver. "I'm sorry I couldn't wake up. I didn't mean to scare anyone."

The bed dipped as Jasper moved to sit beside her, taking her elfin face in his hands and kissing her gently. "You have nothing to be sorry for, baby. I overacted…I was just so scared when you wouldn't wake up-"

"Jasper, I promise I will not let anything happen to her," Didyme interjected, trying to temper Jasper's rising anxiety. "I believe Alice's physiology now resembles mine to such an extent that I know what to expect. I promise I will take care of her and your child."

"Thank you Didyme," I said hoping to convey my heartfelt thanks for taking care of my baby sister. I walked further into the room, pulling Bella by the hand. I sat gently at the foot of the bed, settling Bella on my knee, before turning back to Didyme.

"Speaking of physiology, Didyme, I need some insight," I whispered, looking to my little mate for reassurance. "Something has happened-"

Didyme grasped my arm, alarmed by my admission. "What's wrong? Are you unwell?"

Shaking my head no, I proceeded to relay the events that transpired between Aro and me after she and Jasper had left the room. Bella rubbed my shoulders soothingly while Alice, Jasper, and Didyme listened intently until I finished my account.

"Well, while I can't say it's something I've ever personally witnessed, I'm not totally shocked either," Didyme conceded, her brows furrowed with uncertainty. "After all, there were bound to be some abnormalities with the transformation, given your DNA was manipulated and not inherited. I believe we should begin documenting the nature of these abilities."

"So I'm not going crazy?" I sighed, running my hands through my hair.

"No, dear boy," she soothed as she patted my hand. "But…"

"But?"

"I don't think we should divulge these abilities to anyone outside of our trusted family," she clarified. "We should keep this knowledge to ourselves for now."

"Agreed," we all said in unison.

"Speaking of transformations," my angel interjected, "Jasper, I'd like to discuss when you might be willing to undergo the process." Sighing, she shook her head in regret. "I don't want any of my family in danger. While the transformation doesn't make you completely indestructible, it does give you a decided advantage."

"You don't have to convince me, Bella," Jasper replied, grasping Ali's hands in his own. "Name the time and place and I'll be there. I'd do anything for my family."

"As soon as possible, Jazz," I interjected. "I don't want to take any chances and the brothers' presence here makes the situation more…volatile. So, first chance okay?"

"Okay," Jasper agreed as Bella and I rose from the bed and headed for the door.

"Thank you again, Didyme…for everything," I whispered.

"My pleasure, dear boy," she replied, grasping the full depth of my gratitude. For my health, my mate, and the resilience of my family, all impossible without her.

Bella and I quickly departed my sister's room and made our way back to the lab. Marcus was now tending to Caius' sprained ankle while Aro peppered him with questions once more, their backs turned away from the door.

"We came back to help, brother, but you have to fill us in on what's happening here," Aro beseeched condescendingly. "Who are these people? James said that he knew them from a previous encampment and that they left him for dead. Are you sure you can trust them?"

"I trust them more than I trust you two at the moment, Aro," Marcus sighed, distraught over the misdeeds of his own kin.

Stealthily approaching, I caught Aro off guard as I reached around and into his front pocket to retrieve the small communicator given to him by James. Quickly withdrawing the small instrument with my nimble fingers, Aro spun to face me, reaching out for his lost gem.

"Give that back!" he shouted, swiping his uninjured arm in my direction in an attempt to dislodge the device from my grip.

Backing away quickly, I tossed the communicator over his head into the waiting hands of Emmett on the other side of the room, a wide grin creeping across his face, giddy at the prospect of an adult version of keep away.

"Come and get it, fucker," he taunted, holding the small radio just out of Aro's reach. Emmett tossed the communicator back to me as Aro lunged for it, missing by half a foot.

Aro spun as the gadget flew through the air, his eyes following the fluid movement. Before he could leap back in my direction, Emmett caught him by his tunic, dragging him backwards to restrain him.

"Now why would you still need this, Aro?" I deliberated, already well aware of the truth, but curious as to how Aro would respond.

He stuttered several times, searching for an appropriate lie. "I was just keeping it in case we needed it. It might prove useful later."

"Hmm, useful indeed. I think I'll just hang onto this," I smirked, disabling and pocketing the small device. "Tell me, Aro. How did James manage to get here to this facility?"

"Simmons was tracking Bella. We had managed to trace her location back to Alamo. I only know the rest second hand," Aro sighed, looking in Bella's direction, obviously hesitant to continue.

"Go on," I encouraged, becoming frustrated with his reluctance.

"Apparently, the recovery team came upon the school as some sort of skirmish was taking place," Aro continued. "As they were clearing the upstairs, they came across James. At first they thought he was a downed Dreg, but then he began to speak…shouting about Bella and Edward. Thinking he may prove useful, they picked him up and brought him back to the facility."

"Should have killed that fucker when I had the chance," I muttered, angry with myself for neglecting the number one rule to every horror movie…never leave the bad guy alive.

"Yes, well hindsight is 20/20," Caius smugly retorted from across the room.

Having had enough of their smug attitudes, I looked to Emmett. "Once Caius is bandaged, please escort him and Aro to the cell where we trapped the Dreg."

"No, no! You can't! Don't put us in with one of those things!" Aro screeched, struggling against Emmett's hold. Clearly Aro mistook my statement to mean that we had a Dreg captured and still alive, whereas I was merely making reference to which cell I wanted him escorted to.

Leaning toward him, I lowered my voice so only Aro would hear. "I should, you know. I should condemn you to the same fate as Simmons."

His eyes widened as he took a step backward. "How do you…what…I…don't know," he stuttered, completely flummoxed at this turn of events.

I chuckled darkly at his confusion, pleased to have the upper hand.

"One more question, Aro," I asked as Emmett and Marcus were leading the brothers from the room. "How did Simmons manage to track Bella back to the school?"

"The hospital gowns have a tracking device embedded in the seams," he replied nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders with an evil smirk planted firmly on his face.

"Hey, Ed? Wasn't Esme wearing one of those gowns when we brought her back?" Emmett asked, worry suddenly clouding his features.

Nodding, I reached for Bella, panic rising up within me as I strode for the door, intent on finding Esme as soon as possible. But before we could reach the door, the facility was plunged into darkness. Orange emergency lights illuminated the room, casting an eerie glow as chaos erupted around us.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Here's yet another chapter. Thank you for the reviews, I love you guys all the more for it. My poor characters never seem to catch a break, huh? **sigh** Never a moment's peace. Eh…such is the way of the apocalypse.

By the way, I posted a short little one-shot yesterday called Sanction. Just a little something that got stuck in my head. You can find it on my profile. Give it a read if you get a chance and let me know what you think. It's worth a good ten minutes. I traditionally haven't read many one-shots, but now having written one, I can see the appeal.

As always, I do not own Twilight. Stephenie Meyer does.

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><p>EPOV<p>

Pandemonium…pure and simple. The moment the fluorescents went out, the brothers scurried from the room like cockroaches evading bright light, narrowly escaping Emmett's clutches. The rhythmic pulsing of the orange emergency lights did nothing to calm my nerves as Marcus rushed to action, the brothers temporarily forgotten.

The rest of our family raced into the lab, confusion and panic clearly driving the stampede. Didyme flashed to Marcus' side as they reached the computer lying on the opposite table from our makeshift infirmary.

Marcus hastily punched keys on his laptop as Rosalie rounded the table headed in his direction. "The entire security network is down," Marcus mumbled, his fingers moving furiously across the keyboard.

"No," Bella gasped, "he wouldn't dare!" Turning to me with a look of fear unlike anything I had ever seen on her beautiful face. "The locks won't engage without the security network! All of the doors will be wide open!"

"Rosalie!" Marcus barked, his anxiety rising to astronomical proportions.

"I'm on it, I'm on it…" Rosalie muttered, taking position at her own computer station with Emmett standing directly behind her. "I'll try to get the camera system up and running again so we can see what the fuck is going on."

"I knew that rescue was too fucking easy," Emmett muttered under his breath. "Fucking James…I swear to God I am going to tie my shoes with that man's entrails."

Taking in the scene around her, Esme stepped forward with Carlisle clutching onto her, too afraid to let go after having come so close to losing her. "Where are the other residents?" Esme asked.

"It looks like everyone is congregating in the main cafeteria in Sector 10," Rosalie responded, her voice void of emotion. "It's protocol to head to a main meeting area when the locks won't engage. There's safety in numbers."

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Marcus exclaimed, pounding his fist on the table. "Dreg incoming…looks to be about twenty five loose in Sector 17…moving fast. Rosalie?"

"I can't do anything from here," she replied, blowing a strand of hair out of her face, her frustration evident. "I need to get to the control room…to the main circuit board. I can reset everything from there."

Marcus shooed her from the room with a sweeping motion of his hands. "Go, go," he urged, "Emmett, go with her. Watch her back."

"Pfft…as if anyone could stop me," Emmett mumbled before following Rosalie out of the lab.

"I'm going down to the cafeteria to help those people, but I'll need weapons," Esme calmly stated, looking around the room for assistance.

"Esme-"

"Carlisle, don't," she huffed. "Jacob and Seth are down there. The other residents…they're not like us. They can't protect themselves or each other like we can. Now either help me or back the fuck up."

"How many residents, Marcus?" I asked, handing a few spare daggers to Esme while Carlisle helped her get situated with her own chest strap.

"Twenty two," he answered, "the youngest being a sixteen year old girl. Esme's right, you must protect them. They've given their whole lives to the research we do down here. I won't leave them unprotected if I can help it."

Loyalty was not a foreign concept to me. In the SEALs, loyalty to crew and country were paramount to survival. If you couldn't trust your own brethren to have your back, then you were as good as dead. Our situation down here was no different.

"Jasper, Alice…you both stay here with Marcus and Didyme. Barricade this fucking door," I ordered in a biting tone. "It isn't safe for any of you out there. Rose and Emmett will be tied up in the control room getting us back up and operational. The rest of us will head to the cafeteria."

Nodding in agreement, we started for the door. Bella strapped the small, digital map to her wrist. Without the secondary camera systems operational, we would be running blind. The monitor was preprogrammed with a directional map of the entire facility and only read heat signatures, so it functioned independent of the camera systems. We all took off toward Sector 10 in a race against the Dreg to see who could reach the residents first. I silently prayed that it would be us.

Sneaking through the corridors as quickly as we dared, I spearheaded our little convoy while Carlisle pulled up the rear with Esme and Bella sandwiched between us. We moved as quietly as possible while Bella kept an eye on the monitor for any unusual heat signatures.

As we rounded the last corner toward the cafeteria, Bella picked up a reading on her monitor.

_A whole pack of them, Edward…headed this way. They are only a few corridors over. We have to hurry._

Nodding in understanding, we moved cautiously toward the open doorway of the cafeteria, trying to be as quiet as possible so as not to draw attention from the approaching Dreg horde. I was torn as to our next course of action. The cafeteria was a large room with numerous tables. We could barricade the doors and hope that the Dreg passed us by. Should they breach our barricade, there was enough space to move around freely so that we could fight uninhibited.

Our second option was to try to move the residents to another sector without alerting the Dreg to our presence. Although, until Rosalie had the security locks restored, every sector was vulnerable.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to make that decision. The moment we entered the cafeteria, a young man in military fatigues jumped up from behind an overturned table shouting, "Bella!" as he ran towards us. The possessive bastard in me quickly grabbed my little mate, tossing her behind me, shielding her from his view.

"Back the fuck up and lower your voice," I hissed with one hand still possessively gripping my angel.

"Too late," Bella whispered, looking down at the monitor on her wrist while drawing a dagger from her holster. "They heard us."

"Dammit," I muttered, surveying the room for options. I noticed the swinging double doors that lead to the kitchen at the back of the cafeteria. "Is there a back way out through the kitchen?" I asked Bella.

"No, but there is a walk-in freezer," she replied, springing into action, already cognizant of what my next request would be. Turning to the residents, she urged them from their defensive. "Everyone come with me. We have Dreg coming and I need you to hide." Heads suddenly popped up from behind the overturned tables one by one, reminding me of that stupid game of Whack-a-Mole I played at the arcade as a kid. The heads suddenly morphed into entire bodies as the residents fled their hiding places and followed Bella to the kitchen doors.

Carlisle and I began quickly piling the abandoned tables in the open doorway leading out to the corridor. My ears could faintly discern the sound of gnashing teeth and shuffling footsteps as the Dreg lurched ever closer. This fucking barricade wouldn't last long, but it could buy us enough time to get the residents tucked safely away while we neutralized the threat. As I stacked the last loose chair onto the pile, I heard my name being shouted from across the cafeteria.

Moving against the crowd, Jacob quickly made his way through the small throng of people tugging a young girl by the hand with Seth hot on his heels. "Edward!" he cried out as he got closer.

"Jacob," I sighed, meeting him halfway. "You need to go with Bella."

"No, no, I can help," he insisted. "Where's Emmett? Is he okay?"

"Emmett's fine, he's just helping Rosalie get the security grid back up," I replied, turning him away from the entrance and leading him by the arm back toward Bella. "Now, you can help me by getting everyone into that walk-in freezer and making sure no one does anything stupid."

"But, Ed-"

"Please, Jacob," I pleaded, trying desperately to drag him away from the front of the cafeteria. "It would kill us if anything happened to you or your brother."

"Fine," he huffed, finally surrendering as the three of them hurried across the room and through the double doors, leaving them to swing in their passing wake.

Bella emerged from the back just as the first Dreg reached the barricade. The mangled arm of what used to be a military officer reached blindly through the small openings, clawing at the stacked tables as it sniffed the air for fresh meat.

Having caught our scent, its hazy eyes turned in our direction as sludge dripped from its mouth. The Dreg let out an inhuman snarl as it proceeded to pound its fists against our flimsy barrier, dislodging the chairs that were holding our makeshift fence together.

"Come on, Rosalie," I muttered under my breath. "Where's the fucking power?"

Our lonesome Dreg was soon joined by a few friends; a woman dressed in scrubs that had been shredded at the sleeves and pants legs followed by maybe the fattest man I had ever laid eyes on. He had to have weighed at least five hundred pounds. His feet were bowed inward as he shuffled forward on his obviously broken ankles. No way was that man able to walk before he got sick.

Carlisle glanced in my direction, his eyes wide as he pointed at the behemoth currently slugging away at our barricade. While he was considerably slower than the other two, his blows dealt more force due to the sheer size of his meat hooks.

_The other Dreg are almost here, Edward._

Nodding my head at Bella, I motioned for her to take flank to my right as Esme positioned herself behind Carlisle as a sort of final defense between the Dreg and the residents hiding in the kitchen.

Military Dreg was the first to break through, cracking a table clean in two before charging into the room. The entire barricade came crashing down as the other two forced their way through the opening.

As the three adversaries advanced on us, I could hear the growling and snapping of their companions not far behind. Just as I was beginning to question whether we would make it out of this alive, the overhead lights flickered twice before the fluorescents fully came to life, illuminating the room in a bright white glow. A moment later, the carbide doors engaged, effectively keeping the other Dreg at bay, but trapping us inside with these three creatures and no escape route. Fuck me…this was going to be some close combat shit.

"You did that shit on purpose, Rosalie," I muttered looking up at the glowing green light on the camera in the corner of the room. "Procrastinate much?" I sneered, moving forward to meet the glutton head on.

The girls joined forces to take out the woman while Carlisle grappled with the soldier. The fighting was intense as these fuckers were just as strong and fast as us when need be. I finally managed to slip my blade into my opponent's neck, spinning around as I damn near took his whole head clean off.

My only error was in judging where the monstrosity would fall. It just so happened, he staggered to the right before landing on top of me, pinning me to the floor. As I struggled to extract myself from the steaming pile of meat, I looked over just in time to see Bella, her face beaming with pride, as she landed the killing blow to the female Dreg.

"Motherfucker!" Carlisle screeched as his opponent managed to tackle him to the floor, his teeth gnashing mere inches from Carlisle's throat. Esme was by his side in a flash, lifting the creature off of Carlisle and tossing it to the far corner of the room where it landed in a heap amidst a cacophony of falling chairs. Bella and I rushed across the room, quickly dispatching the creature before it could regain its footing.

As I slowly made my way back over to Carlisle, I could tell he was injured. His right arm hung at an awkward angle as Esme fluttered around him. "That shoulder looks dislocated, Carlisle," I sighed, bending slightly to help him off the floor.

"I know," he grimaced as his entire body shuddered from the pain. Plopping down into the nearest chair, he quickly surveyed the room. "Everybody else okay?" he asked.

"Yes Carlisle, we're all fine," my angel reassured. "We're going to have to come up with a plan on how to deal with the horde on the other side of that door." Looking down at her wrist monitor, she sighed in frustration, blowing a strand of hair out of her beautiful face. "I count twenty Dreg in the corridor. Getting out of here is going to be tricky."

"Well, we're safe for now," I sighed with relief, pulling Bella into my arms. "Nothing is getting through that door. Let's just take a few minutes and regroup. We need to set Carlisle's shoulder anyway."

"Let's do that now," Esme recommended while taking Carlisle's hand and backing away until she was lined up properly. "Edward, I need you to hold him in that chair while I pop his shoulder back into place."

Positioning myself directly behind Carlisle, I clamped my hands down on top of his shoulders, holding him motionless with a firm grip.

"This is going to hurt, babe," Esme whispered.

Nodding his head, Carlisle took a few deep breaths, steeling himself against the pain. Biting down on his fist, he groaned loudly as Esme pulled on the injured arm, popping his shoulder back into place. Carlisle's faced turned ashen as he slumped forward in his chair, overwhelmed by the searing pain.

"I'm going to go get him some juice and let the residents out of the freezer," she muttered, obviously upset at having caused her mate any discomfort.

"He'll be fine, Esme," my angel reassured. "Ten minutes and he'll be good as new."

Wiping away her unshed tears, Esme stumbled into the kitchen to release our captives.

Carlisle watched as she left the room, his own eyes clouded with guilt. "I should have been more careful. I was so damn busy watching after her, that I let that thing get the upper hand."

"I know exactly how you feel, Carlisle," I sighed, cutting my eyes to my little mate. "It's in our nature…the need to protect them. But trust me when I say, they are perfectly capable of protecting themselves."

Snorting, my angel replied, "Damn right we are," launching her supple little body into my arms and kissing me soundly. "We're just as overprotective, you know…" looking over at a still frowning Carlisle. "Esme would have torn this whole room apart to get to you if need be. It's what mates do."

"Yeah, I'll try harder at reining in my asshole tendencies," he chuckled rotating his shoulder frontwards and backwards.

"I wouldn't go that far," I chuckled. "Bella loves my asshole tendencies."

"You wish-"

A sudden commotion from the back of the cafeteria caught our attention as the kitchen doors swung open to reveal an absolutely livid Esme dragging the young man in military fatigues by the ear as he clutched his injured hand to his chest.

"Jesus fucking Christ lady, ease up!" the young man screeched as he was forcibly drug into the room.

"Hey! Show some fucking respect, pipsqueak," I fired back, watching in amusement as Esme flung his disrespectful ass into the closest upright chair, causing it to rock back on two legs and almost sending him crashing to the floor.

"Oh Sam," Bella sighed, "what have you done now?"

Before he could reply, Jacob pushed his huge frame through the kitchen doors clutching an ice pack to his right eye. The rest of the residents followed stoically behind him.

"What the fuck?" I exclaimed, rushing toward Jacob. "What happened?" I demanded, looking around the room before my heated gaze finally landed back on Sam, a pompous smirk planted on his baby face.

As I moved in his direction, Jacob laid a restraining hand on my shoulder. "It was nothing, Ed. Let's just drop it okay?"

Realizing that neither Jacob not Sam were going to provide the answers I sought, I shook free of Jacob's hold and pulled a chair directly in front of Sam. I decided it was time to try out my newest trick.

As I stared directly into Sam's dark brown eyes, the room seemed to fade away in a cloud of haze, morphing into what I could only assume was the inside of the walk-in freezer.

_Sam and Jacob stood toe to toe, with Jacob towering over Sam by a good four inches. _

_"__Get the fuck out of my way," Sam snarled, spittle flying from his mouth. "Bella's out there."_

_"__Look, Ed told us to stay fucking put, asshat," Jacob tried to reason. "Now, I don't know who you think you are, but trust me when I say Edward will take care of her." Jacob's sarcastic smirk did nothing but enrage Sam further._

_"__Fuck you and fuck this Edward, too," Sam spat. "No one takes care of my girl except me! Got it?"_

_"__Your girl?" Jacob snorted. "I don't mean to burst you bubble man, but Bella belongs to Edward."_

_"__The fuck you say!" Sam retorted as he pulled his fist back and let it fly. The sucker punch hit Jacob square in the right eye, causing him to stumble backward a bit before regaining his footing._

_Seth was quick to jump to his brothers' defense, shouting obscenities as he rushed forward. Jacob caught his little brother mid-assault, pushing him backward and out of harm's way. _

_"__I'm okay, I'm okay," Jacob reassured, stepping up to face Sam once more. "I'm going to let that one slide, cocksucker. Bella would hand me my ass if any of you get…damaged."_

_Jacob turned toward the pretty little blonde girl standing to his left. Reaching out her dainty hand, she passed him a small ice pack. "Thanks, Ness," he murmured, holding the ice to his throbbing eye. Jacob walked over to the front of the walk-in and plopped down on the cold floor, his back to the door. Settling his piercing gaze on Sam, Jacob stated, "You'll leave when I say you can leave, fucker. And just for the record…you'll have to step over my rotting corpse before I let you near Bella, asshole."_

_"__Noted," Sam mumbled with a sinister gleam in his eye. _

The cafeteria finally came back into focus, but soon began to tilt on its axis as my head throbbed in agony. Blood poured from my nose in thick crimson rivers as Bell rushed forward holding a hand towel.

"Whoa, that was way more intense than last time," I moaned, holding my head in my hands. Bella handed me the towel as she rubbed my shoulders soothingly.

"Do I even want to know what you saw?" my angel asked softly, her hands never leaving my body.

"Probably not," I mumbled around the towel, now drenched with my blood. As soon as my torrential nose bleed stopped, I relayed the events as I saw them in Sam's head.

"You punched a child?" Carlisle questioned with a look of incredulity on his face.

"That's what I said!" Esme exclaimed, throwing her hand in the air in exasperation.

"Hey, I'm not a child-"

"Hush, Jacob," Esme admonished.

"Yes, ma'am," Jacob whispered, lowering his head in submission.

"Oh man," I chuckled, staring at Sam as a sudden thought hit me. "You're going to love meeting Emmett."

"Shut the fuck up!" Sam shouted, leaping from his chair as he finally lost all restraint. "Bella?" he asked, approaching my small mate. "What the fuck is all this?"

"Sam," Bella sighed, backing slowly toward me. "I don't know what kind of romantic scenario you dreamed up in your head, but there has never been anything more than friendship between us. Edward is my mate."

"You fucking bitch!" he screamed, the level of his voice capturing the attention of the Dreg just outside the door, their claws grasping for purchase where none existed.

Sam's nostrils flared as his face morphed into one of pure rage. "I didn't release you from that lab just to have you run off and spread your fucking legs for the very next man you happen to come across!"

I was bowled over as the cafeteria suddenly disappeared and I found myself in a small lab staring down at my little mate, tied naked to a table.

_Sam approached Bella as she lay naked and bound to a metal table, clearly unconscious. He ran his hand up her smooth leg until he reached the apex of her thighs. He pressed two of his fingers into her center, moving them in and out slowly before withdrawing. Raising his fingers to his mouth, he greedily lapped at her wetness. _

_Leaning down, he roughly kissed her mouth while pawing at her breasts. Frustrated with her utter lack of response, he slapped her hard across the face. _

_"__Next time I want to give you pleasure, you had better damn well be awake for it." He methodically moved over to the medical equipment and turned off the I.V. drip, humming to himself as he worked. He turned to take one last look at Bella before exiting the room. "You will be mine," he whispered with an evil sneer on his face. "The brothers promised."_

"Edward?" my angel asked, holding my face in her hands with a panicked look on her beautiful face.

Looking over her shoulder, I saw Sam standing roughly ten feet away, ogling my angel's ass unashamedly.

I lunged.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Wow…so many of you would love to see Sam die. Interesting, but I may still need him for a bit. Thanks for the reviews! And now, to find out Sam's fate...

As always, I do not own Twilight. Stephenie Meyer does.

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><p>EPOV<p>

Rage, white-hot and searing, tore through me like I was an open conduit, burning away all manner of rhyme or reason. My fingers tightened around Sam's throat as he clawed at my hand, his feet dangling a full foot off the floor.

"Edward. Edward!"

I watched in amusement as his face turned pink, then red, finally settling into a very nice shade of plum. His efforts to dislodge my grip slowed as the seconds ticked by. More hands reached for my arms and biceps, pulling and tugging.

"How can he be this fucking strong?"

The conversation around me filtered in and out of my consciousness, while my attention remained on the monster slowly dying by my hand. I enjoyed watching the life fade from Sam's eyes. The compassionate Edward everyone loved was gone…replaced…by this vengeful creature, and I embraced him.

"Please, Edward, don't do this," my angel cried, breaking through my mania. The red haze that clouded my mind retreated slowly at the sound of her sobs. My fingers, the knuckles pure white with the force at which I was gripping Sam, loosened ever so slightly.

Sam drew in a shuddering breath as my hold eased further, his face a mask of relief as his peach coloring returned.

As my anger began to boil over once more, I tossed Sam to the far corner of the room where he hit the wall with a resounding thud, landing awkwardly on his left leg. The sickening crunch of broken bone was like a symphony to my ears.

"Aaaahhh!" Sam cried out in agony, clutching his thigh.

"Serves you right, fucker," Jacob snorted. "I tried to warn you."

Gripping Bella tightly, I buried my face in her neck, breathing in her very essence. If I had any hope of refraining from killing that cretin, I needed to calm the fuck down.

"Want to tell me what that was all about?" my angel whispered.

"No…not yet…please," I pleaded into her soft skin.

Bella ran her tiny fingers through my hair, scratching lightly. "Shh," she soothed, "it's okay. I'm here and I'm yours."

"His femur is broken," Carlisle mumbled, bending over Sam to access his injuries. "And he has a good size contusion on the back of his head," he added, feeling around to the back of Sam's head, causing him to cry out in pain.

"Don't care," I mumbled, my frayed nerves jumping with every whimper from Sam's foul mouth. "He's lucky he isn't dead."

Jacob and Esme quieted the other residents on the opposite side of the cafeteria as they were peppered with questions about our current predicament.

The telephone on the wall next to the kitchen doors began to ring incessantly as all heads snapped in that direction. Everyone stood stock still while the phone continued to go unanswered. Snapping out of her trance, Esme rushed to the phone, picking up the receiver and placing it to her ear.

"What the fuck is going on in there?" I heard Emmett bellow through the phone from all the way across the room. I wasn't sure if it was due to my enhanced hearing or simply the fact that Emmett was one loud fucker. Maintaining my hold on Bella, I spun us so that my upraised middle finger was in prominent display of the camera in the corner.

"We have an issue with one of the residents," Esme sighed, "but he has been subdued and will be dealt with later. The more important question should be how are we supposed to get the fuck out of here?"

I snorted at Esme's use of foul language. Never had I heard her drop so many f-bombs as she had since her change. Maybe I should discuss this with Marcus or Didyme, as our personalities seem to have been somewhat altered in addition to our bodies.

"Well," Emmett hesitated, "we have a few…issues…to work out here, but we're working on a plan. And before you ask…yes, everyone is fine. You guys are just going to have to sit tight for a bit."

"Alright, call us back when you have a plan," Esme sighed. "There's not much we can do to help from in here."

"Will do," Emmett replied before disconnecting the call.

Rejoining the residents, Esme tried to extinguish their fears, filling them in on her conversation with Emmett.

"Bella!" Sam wailed from his position on the floor.

My body reacted instantly, lunging toward the miscreant once more, only for Bella to hold me in place with her arms fastened firmly around my waist.

"Ignore him…please," she begged, biting softly into her plump bottom lip, effectively drawing my attention from my delusional enemy to her pouty little lips.

Lifting her off her feet, I marched across the cafeteria and through the kitchen doors, setting her down on the nearest table. Stepping between her legs, I ravaged her mouth while pawing at her spectacular breasts through her shirt.

Bella suddenly stiffened in my arms, urging me back. As I stepped away, confused by her hesitance, she pointed up to the corner of the kitchen where another camera sat, its green blinking light mocking me. I could almost hear Rosalie and Emmett's laughter.

Growling low in my chest, I swept Bella into my arms and carried her to the walk-in freezer. Bella protested as I opened the door, a cold blast of air hitting us square in the face.

"Edward! It's too damn cold in here!" Bella admonished as I shuffled us inside and shut the door behind us.

Never removing my arms, I turned and pressed her into the door. "Only place…no fucking cameras…have to have you," I mumbled between kisses while grinding against her.

"We'll freeze-"

"Then let me warm you up," I retorted, reaching for the waistband of her pants.

"Do not rip my clothes!" she commanded, quickly divesting herself of her shoes and shirt. "I have nothing to change into here."

I hastily pulled her pants down her creamy thighs and chucked them over my shoulder, where they settled on an unopened box of cabbage. Stepping back, I took in the sight of my girl in just her bra and panties, her little nipples pebbled from the cold.

"Edward," she whined. "My nipples could cut glass here. I thought you said you were going to warm me up?"

Stepping into her embrace once more, I promptly ripped her panties and bra from her body.

"Dammit, Edward, I told you not to rip-"

"Uh uh, sweetheart, you said not to rip your clothes. You said nothing about underwear." Leaning down, I took one hard nipple in my mouth, sucking lightly. "Just think," I continued, replacing my mouth with my nimble fingers, "I'll be the only one that knows you are completely bare under your clothes."

Her breathing sped at the idea, vapor escaping her beautiful lips as she panted. Jumping into my arms, she wrapped her strong legs around me while grinding into my very stiff erection, coating my cock with her warm juices.

With one quick thrust, I was fully seated inside her warmth. Fuck me, she felt absolutely fucking amazing. I began a languid pace, slowly withdrawing before slamming back into her, grunting with each intrusion as I pressed her harder into the frigid door. The instinctive need to possess…to take…bubbled up within me as I quickened my pace. Snarling through gritted teeth, I claimed my mate, sinking my teeth into the juncture between her neck and shoulder. Marking her for the whole world to see.

"Mine, mine, mine!" I chanted, punctuating each word with a sharp thrust into my little mate's pliant body. My hips pistoned faster as my need for her swelled.

Her walls quivered around me as she finally succumbed to the immense pleasure. Shuddering violently in my arms, she slumped forward, no longer able to brace herself against the door.

"Fuck, Bella, we're not done," I hissed as I lowered her feet to the floor. Spinning us once more, I swiftly brushed aside several bags of vegetables from a wide shelf bolted to the wall. Laying her down lengthwise along the shelf, I pulled her pert little ass to the very edge, tossing her legs over my shoulders as I entered her roughly. I dug my fingers into her hips as I pulled her down onto my cock repeatedly, certain that she would feel the bruises tomorrow.

"Feel that, Bella?" I asked as I slammed into her, watching entranced as he perky breasts jiggled with each thrust. "You're mine," I growled. "No one will ever give you the pleasure that I can. No one will _ever_ touch you but me!"

She mumbled incoherently as I continued my assault, shaking her head from side to side. As I neared my peak, her little mouth opened in a silent scream as her pussy clamped down on me once more, triggering my own orgasm. I grunted through my release, slowing my thrusts to prolong my euphoria.

Finally sated, I wrapped my semi-conscious mate in my arms as she trembled from the cold. "Come on Bella, let's get you dressed and out of this freezer," I murmured, gathering her clothes while she slowly became more coherent.

Fully dressed, we emerged from the walk-in freezer and made our way back through the kitchen, both of our faces glowing with satisfaction. As we joined the others in the cafeteria, Esme approached us, smirking deviously as she took in the sated looks on our faces.

"So, just where did you two take off to?" she chuckled.

"We had some…needs…to attend to," I retorted not the least bit ashamed of claiming my girl. I would shout it to the world if I could. Having heard my admission, Sam growled from the corner, flinging obscenities at me as he sat immobile from the splint that Carlisle had applied to his fractured thigh.

"Hmm, needs indeed…" Esme hummed in amusement. "Well, while you two were otherwise occupied, Emmett called back."

"Yeah? So, what's the plan then?" I asked, eager to be out of this fucking cafeteria and away from that foul creature, Sam. If I had to endure his seething looks much longer, I would not be held accountable for my actions.

"The plan is…I don't know. Little shit wouldn't tell me," she huffed. "He said not to sweat the details, that they would handle it from their end and Marcus would call us when it was safe to leave the cafeteria."

I chuckled at Esme's growing usage of profanity. It just seemed so silly coming from her…the woman who used to admonish Emmett and I for saying 'damn'. "How long?" I asked, incensed at being left out of the planning loop. Emmett would be sure to gloat later for saving our asses.

"Within the hour," she replied while looking at her watch. "But that phone call came over forty five minutes ago," she said, her quirked eyebrow insinuating that Bella and I had been absent for an exorbitant amount of time. "We should hear something soon."

Nodding in acknowledgement, I began assessing the room, mentally preparing myself for any snap decisions that would need to be made. I spied Jacob in a far corner, holding the hand of the small blonde girl while talking with what I assumed to be her parents.

"What's the deal over there?" I asked Esme, tilting my head in Jacob's direction.

"Oh my gosh! Aren't they just the cutest little things?" Esme gushed. "The little blonde girl is Vanessa, but everyone just calls her Ness. Those two behind her are her parents, Garrett and Kate. They're astrophysicists. I've chatted with them at length before, but I honestly can't tell you a single thing about what they actually do here. It was so far over my head…something about worms and folding them?" she rambled with an adorably confused look on her face. "I don't know. Medicine I know…this Star Trek stuff, not so much. Anyhow, Jacob and Ness have been pretty much inseparable since they met. So cute!"

"Yeah cute," I huffed, remembering just how 'cute' my hormone riddled self was at sixteen. I could see the need for a chaperone in the very near future.

My angel tugged on my shirt sleeve, pulling my attention from the budding young romance. "Something's happening," she whispered, gesturing to the monitor still strapped to her arm. "The Dreg horde is moving away from the door. I can't see what they're chasing, but something definitely pulled their attention away from us."

Knowing Emmett, I could imagine exactly what…or who…enticed the Dreg away. I quickly gathered everyone in the middle of the cafeteria, calmly explaining the situation so that we could be ready to leave at a moment's notice. Ten agonizing minutes ticked by before the phone rang once more.

Dashing over, I picked up the receiver and held it to my ear. "Emmett?" I answered.

"No, it's Marcus. Don't worry, Emmett's fine. We have the Dred horde contained so it's safe for you to make your way back to the lab. Bring the other residents with you. There's much that needs to be discussed." His voice sounded tight, almost worried.

"Understood, we'll be there in fifteen," I replied before disconnecting the call. Walking back to the center of the room, I relayed Marcus' request and gathered everyone for the trek to Hydroponics. I watched, amused, as Carlisle hoisted Sam off the floor, securing an arm around his waist to support his weight.

"Here, Carlisle, let me help," I said, swooping in under Sam's left arm to help support his weight from his injured leg, giggling as he cried out in pain. Okay, so I may have jostled him a little more than necessary.

Sighing heavily, Carlisle just shook his head at my juvenile antics, knowing full well that he didn't actually need my help to carry Sam. "I'll give him some morphine when we get back to the lab," he muttered. "That should keep him out of our hair for a bit."

Bella opened the cafeteria doors, double checking to make sure everything was clear. She and Esme led the residents out of our stronghold and toward the lab behind Hydroponics. Carlisle, Sam, and I were last to exit. Marcus had told us the Dreg were contained, so I felt comfortable with Bella taking the lead. Plus, I wanted to keep her far away from this deviant fuck I was currently toting, handling him a bit rougher purely for my amusement.

I was torn over how to handle this situation with Bella. As we traversed the empty hallways, I pondered my choices, finally deciding that I would have to tell her what I saw in Sam's mind. She deserved to know what he did to her, despite the pain it may cause. The thought of what this knowledge would do to her caused a deep ache to settle in my chest. On the plus side, she may let me kill him if she doesn't do the deed herself. That thought alone lifted my spirits marginally.

I was never so grateful to see the glowing blue orbs hanging from the trees as we made our way through Hydroponics. My mind wandered to Bella's little sanctuary as I plotted various ways of getting my girl back there as soon as possible. Rounding the corner into the lab, we were met with a weary looking Alice and Jasper. Rosalie sat at the center table, bandaging Emmett's arm. I knew that fucker was the bait that led the Dreg away.

Setting his sights on Emmett, Carlisle relinquished his hold on Sam and rushed to the table to assess Emmett's injuries. Never one to pass up an excellent opportunity, I unceremoniously dropped Sam to the floor, his cries of pain minimally alleviating the ache in my chest.

"You okay, Em?" I asked out of reflex.

"Sure sure," he replied, kissing Rosalie on the cheek while she secured the bandage. "This healing thing is pretty cool. I told Rosie she didn't have to worry with a bandage, but she said it would make her feel better," he whined in a mocking tone, raising his voice at the end to mimic Rosalie. "Women…" he huffed as Rosalie smacked him on the back of the head with a resounding thwack.

"So what happened?" I asked.

"Well, I approached them like Moses and said come with me my children-"

A double smack from Rosalie caused him to pause mid-sentence."Ow Rosie! That hurt!"

"Serves you right you big oaf, tell it like it really happened," she admonished, giggling at his silliness.

Properly chastised, he started over. "Well I snuck up on them and then made a bunch of racket until they heard and smelled me. Then I hauled ass. The end," he said shrugging.

"God Emmett…elaborate please," I beseeched, pinching the bridge of my nose in annoyance. "Where are they and how did you get injured?"

"Oh! Well, I led them back to Sector 12. I thought I had lost them doubling back, but one of those fuckers came out of nowhere and took a huge chunk out of my arm! I took his head though," he smiled smugly. "Then I got the hell out of dodge and Marcus sealed and disabled the door behind me. They're locked up nice and tight."

"Why Sector 12?" Bella asked, taking a seat at the table next to Emmett.

"That's the issue we needed to discuss with everyone," Marcus answered. "Rosalie ran a scan of the camera systems once the security network was brought back online. There were a few sectors where the cameras had been disabled, the most prominent being Sector 12."

"The brothers?" I asked, thinking they may have decided to hole up in that sector and disabled the security cameras as a precaution.

"Maybe," he sighed," or it could be James. Or it could be coincidence."

Unfortunately Sam decided this would be the perfect opportunity to add his two cents. "Wait, so you just sealed those monsters into a sector where your own brothers may be hiding?"

"Yes, I did." The sadness in Marcus' eyes was clearly visible behind his determination. "They hurt my daughter. I refuse to give them another chance."

"But they can't be gone!" Sam cried. "I need them! They promised!"

"Carlisle!" I snarled, shooting a heated glance in Sam's direction. "Shut him up now or I will."

Carlisle nodded in agreement, jogging over to the medicine cabinet to retrieve a vial of morphine. Thirty seconds later and Sam was snoring quietly in the corner.

"You're going to have to explain what the deal is with him, you know," Marcus stated, eyeing both Bella and I speculatively.

"I know," I breathed, "just not right now. Please. Let's get settled first, yeah?"

He grunted in accordance before turning back to the other residents. "Given our current security situation, I would like for all of you to relocate to this sector. There are more living quarters on the opposite side of Hydroponics. Just until we can neutralize the threat," he finished amidst grumbles from the residents. "Please," he beseeched, "it's for your own safety."

Begrudgingly, they turned and left, headed for their new temporary homes. Carlisle picked up an unconscious Sam and carried him down to one of the personal quarters, locking him inside.

As the tension slowly drained from the room, we took a few moments to relax and be thankful that everyone came out in one piece. Well, mostly in one piece. I lifted Bella from her seat and plopped down in the chair, settling her back onto my lap.

Never one to be outdone, Emmett plucked her from my grasp, wrapping her up in a giant bear hug. "Hey, guys, so I've got to tell you the funniest thing ever-"

"Emmett!" Didyme scoffed, shaking her head in disapproval.

"Oh c'mon!" Emmett whined, returning her back to my lap while he patted her head as if she were a mini Chihuahua.

"It's okay, I could use a good laugh after the day we've had," Bella chucked as I wrapped her back up in my arms.

"Okay," Emmett began enthusiastically, motioning with his hands for emphasis. "So, as it turns out, there's this security camera in the walk-in freezer…"


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Hi, guys! Thanks so much for the alerts and favorites and reviews. I'm glad you enjoyed Emmett's relentless teasing. In my head, I always saw him as the comic relief. A real open-mouth-and-insert-foot kind of guy. I hope I do him justice. I know some of you are quite anxious for Edward to spill the beans, so I won't keep you.

As always, I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does.

* * *

><p>EPOV<p>

Each salty tear tore another hole in my heart, her wracking sobs somewhat muffled by my cotton shirt. Every time she seemed to regain her composure, her cries would begin anew. She struggled to quiet her whimpers in a fruitless attempt to ease my guilt.

Maybe I shouldn't have told her.

"Tell me what I can do angel?" I begged, softly running my fingers through her hair, my cheek resting on the crown of her head.

"Just h-hold me," she mumbled, her tiny fingers clutching my shirt, clinging to me as if I would disappear at any moment.

I tightened my arms around her before gently rolling us, pressing her into the mossy ground hoping my full weight would bring her some comfort.

"I'm so s-sorry, Edward," she sobbed. "I didn't know. That last day before I escaped…I thought…maybe someone…but I brushed it off as a hallucination since I woke up alone."

"Sweetheart, you have _nothing_ to be sorry for. This isn't your fault," I reassured. "You were drugged and unconscious. What Sam did to you…he's the worst kind of evil."

Esme warned me this may happen, having been a victim of sexual abuse herself. Before Esme was a nurse, she was a rape and battered women crisis counselor. She said Bella could exhibit severe mood swings alternating between shock and embarrassment, extreme grief, guilt, anger, and self-doubt.

When I first sat Bella down in the lab with just her father, mother, and sister, she seemed calm through the retelling of Sam's memories. Marcus and Didyme sat stoically wanting to follow Bella's lead. Rosalie, on the other hand, had a nuclear meltdown. Emmett had to come and remove her from the room while Bella sat stock still, staring at nothing. After ten minutes, my angel began to fidget, pricking relentlessly at her fingernails. Tears welled in her eyes as she mumbled a quiet "excuse me" before scurrying down the hall and locking herself in the bathroom.

Esme intercepted me as I raced after her. She quietly explained that Rosalie had relayed the events of what happened to Bella. My body shook with rage at Rosalie's blatant disregard for her sister's privacy. I wanted nothing more than to throttle her in that moment. It wasn't Rosalie's story to tell for fuck's sake. There was a reason why I only had Bella's immediate family present. I thought they would be better suited to help her through her crisis. Esme felt it was better that everyone knew, so that she would be surrounded by supporters. I had my doubts, but for the most part I trusted Esme.

She took my place in the bathroom while I huddled on the floor just outside the door, my back against the wall as I waited for Bella to reappear. After an hour, Bella finally emerged. She vaulted into my arms, begging me to take her to our place. Without a moment's notice, I whisked her away to our sanctuary in the trees.

Bella's quiet cries brought me out of my thoughts and back to the present.

"I just…I want…" sighing heavily, she buried her face in my neck and mumbled unintelligibly.

"What, sweetheart? What do you want?" I pulled her face from the crook of my neck and stared deep into her green eyes.

"I…I don't know what I want," she whispered dejectedly, retreating into herself once again.

"Tell me, sweetheart," I begged. "I'll give you anything."

"I want him to hurt. I want him to be punished…to pay for what he did to me!" She leapt from my arms and paced the perimeter of the clearing, mumbling incoherently.

Something was happening to my vengeful angel. I could feel the heat rolling off her in waves as she traversed the length of our special place faster and faster. Her shirt began to smolder, the heat rising to an almost unbearable level around me as it sucked the breath from my lungs, her fiery hatred an actual physical manifestation.

"Bella…" I choked, trying unsuccessfully to reach her as black dots clouded my vision.

A wailing cry emanated from the trees, whirling around us as Bella's fury grew. The soothing blue glow morphing into something else…something dark and throbbing, feeding off Bella's energy. In one last ditch effort to reach Bella before succumbing to darkness, I tackled her to the ground, her scorching heat branding me.

"Please," I gasped, willing the air into my lungs.

"Edward!" Bella's hostility quickly retreated, pushed away by her concern for me. "Oh God, are you okay?"

The whirlwind of chaos around us subsided and I was finally able to draw in a full deep breath, the darkness abated. I coughed repeatedly while Bella fretted around me.

"What…was…that?" I wheezed, pulling Bella's trembling hands to my lips.

"I...I have no idea." Her concern turned to giggles once she knew I was unharmed. "Maybe I'm broken."

I wasn't sure if this was my little mate's true personality peeking through or just another side to her mood swings. Regardless, as much as I didn't want to, I would be walking on egg shells for a while. Pulling her into my lap, I whispered, "You aren't broken, sweetheart. Let's just save…whatever that was…for when we talk to the miscreant, yeah?"

Bella pulled away and leveled me with a frightened gaze. "I can't confront him, Edward!"

"You can, baby," I whispered, peppering kisses on her worried little face. "You should." I hesitated for a few moments unsure of how my next request would be received. I was never a good poker player, so my facial expression must've hinted at my indecision.

"What is it?" Bella asked, her brow creased with worry.

"Well…I think maybe we should have another chat with your mother," I began. Suddenly my arms were empty as my little mate backed away from me.

"You're scared of me!"

"No-"

"Yes, you are!" she shouted. "I can read it on your face!"

Leaping to my feet, I approached her slowly. "Bella…baby? Please calm down." The very last thing I wanted was to wind her up like before. I wasn't sure I would survive it. I held my arms out toward her in a silent plea. "I'm not concerned about your abilities. I love every inch of you…quirks and all. What does concern me was how our immediate environment reacted to you."

"I…I didn't notice," she mumbled, stumbling into my arms.

The backs of my fingers met her now cool cheek. Bending slightly, I gently kissed her lips, hoping to convey every ounce of love I had for this little creature. Her eyes shone back at me as she pulled away.

"Okay, let's go talk to my mother." She took my hand in hers and led us out of our sanctuary and back towards the lab.

As Bella marched ahead of me, I couldn't help but notice the black lace of her bra peeking out from multiple holes in her shirt, the edges of which were blackened and still smoking slightly. "Uh…angel? We might need to stop and get you a new t-shirt." I pulled her into our sleeping quarters and quickly removed the offending shirt. Bella immediately covered herself in embarrassment, fear clouding her features.

"Hey, hey, it's just me here, angel," I cooed, trying to ease her anxiety. "You have _nothing_ to fear from me."

"Sorry," she mumbled, her demeanor changing quickly as she took the shirt from my hands. Her laughter bounced off the walls as she examined the garment, paying especially close attention to the two sand dollar sized holes directly over where her nipples would be.

Wrapping my arms around her from behind, I was finally able to get a good look at the cause of her hilarity. I snorted in amusement. "Now that's what I call a hot pair of tits!"

"Oh my God," she snickered, palming her face. "You did not just say that!" Looking down at her scantily clad torso, she looked back at me, clearly confused. "Hey, the shirt burned but my bra didn't."

I couldn't believe I hadn't made that same deduction. I would have definitely noticed her glorious nipples peeking out to say hello. "Huh…you're right." I was completely unable to come up with any type of explanation that would allow for this peculiar situation. Donning a new t-shirt, she grabbed the old singed shirt and we headed straight to the lab.

We heard our entire family deep in discussion as we entered the room. Carlisle clapped Jasper on the back while Alice clung to his left arm, her head leaned against his shoulder.

"I promise it will be fine, Jasper," Carlisle reassured.

"What's going on?" I asked, looking from Carlisle to Jasper and back again.

"Jasper would like to undergo the transformation-"

"As soon as possible," Jasper finished. He pulled Alice into his lap and kissed her soundly. "I won't be the weakest link any longer."

"We'll take care of it this afternoon." Carlisle began checking the supplies to make sure we would have everything necessary for Jasper's transformation. "But just so you know, son, no one sees you as the weakest link."

Our family turned their sights on Bella, having noticed her improved disposition from earlier. "Are you alright, my daughter?" Didyme asked.

With a heavy sigh, my angel lowered her gaze to her lap. "As well as I can be, I guess."

"Actually, we need to speak with you all about something that happened in the forest," I stated, pulling the shirt from Bella's clutches and laying it out on the table. Emmett's eyes immediately zeroed in on the holes over where Bella's breasts would be. With a mischievous gleam in his eyes, he actually opened his big fat mouth to make what I was sure would be an absolutely inappropriate and crude joke. "Don't even think it, Emmett."

Emmett's face fell marginally as his brain finally caught up with his mouth. He looked over at Bella's reddened cheeks and then nodded at me imperceptibly, gesturing silently for me to continue.

I took a seat at the table and pulled Bella into my lap before I began. She needed to be as calm as possible for this particular conversation. I explained about Bella's warranted anger and how it turned into a tangible force, affecting our very surroundings and producing a searing heat, hot enough to burn through clothing. Well, through her shirt anyway.

Didyme looked perplexed as she closely examined the charred shirt. "Are you burned?" she asked looking at both me and her daughter.

"I had to tackle Bella before I passed out. Blisters appeared from where my hands came in contact with her skin, but they've healed…they were nothing of consequence." I tightened my hold on Bella, knowing that her guilt over burning me would eat at her for a while.

Didyme nodded in acknowledgement, twisting her fingers in her lap while she contemplated the possibilities. "I'll be honest, I've never seen anyone with the level of power Bella possesses. If I had to guess, I'd say that it is an offshoot of her ability to manipulate molecules. But the strength of this ability is growing exponentially. The things I've seen my people do are nowhere near equal to Bella."

"Are you sure?" Bella trembled in my arms obviously frightened over this turn of events. "Rose, what about you?"

"What about me?" Rose snapped in a biting tone, drumming her fingers on the table as if she were bored.

Bella flinched at her tone and ducked her head under my chin. Incensed by Rosalie's petulant behavior, I leaned forward with every intent of telling her exactly how big of a bitch she was. But before I could utter a single harsh word, Emmett stepped in.

"Rosie…for God's sake," he sighed, shaking his head in disappointment. "Just tell them-"

"Shut. Up. Emmett." She snarled back.

"Wait, wait, tell us what?" Marcus interjected, becoming annoyed with Rosalie's childish antics.

"She disappears," Emmett mumbled. "Not like invisibility…per se. More like she can move _through_ things. Solid objects. It first happened one night while were fu-…uh…_having tea_." Emmett looked over at Marcus, preparing himself for the inevitable punch to the face for deflowering his daughter, but Marcus just chuckled in amusement.

Jasper and I both snorted at the ridiculousness of Emmett's statement.

"Having tea?" Jasper asked. "Does Rosalie prefer to take her tea against the wall?"

Emmett blushed in embarrassment as Rosalie smacked him upside the head. "Anyway, she reached for the lube- er…_honey_…yeah honey…and her hand went right through it."

Marcus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head back and forth. "I know way too much about my daughters' sex lives," he mumbled. "So, is it safe to say that this happens when Rosalie becomes excited? About drinking tea?"

We all snickered at Emmett's expense. "Yeah, laugh it up assholes," he muttered. "All I know is when Rosalie gets all riled up, she can't grip anything-"

"Wow...that must suck for you," Jasper chortled.

"Boys! Manners please," Esme scolded, looking between Jasper and me.

"Sorry Esme," we both mumbled at the same time.

"Sweetheart, why didn't you say anything when this first happened?" Didyme asked, wrapping her arms around Rosalie's tiny frame, her stiff posture finally relaxing into her mother's embrace.

"There's just been so much going on." Rosalie looked around the table at our little family. "I didn't want to bring any more craziness down on our heads. I think we've had enough to deal with. I swear I was going to say something…just not yet."

Marcus opened his laptop and began typing furiously. "Alright, so Bella, Rosalie, and Edward have all experienced some sort of expansion in their abilities." Looking around the table at each of us, he asked, "Has anyone else noticed anything out of the ordinary?"

Emmett cleared his throat suggestively. "Nothing for me. Unless you count a near constant erection-"

Another resounding slap from Rosalie landed to the back of Emmett's head.

"Ow, Rosie!"

"For the love of God, Emmett," Rosalie muttered. "Rein it in, yeah?"

Carlisle and Esme glanced at one another before shaking their heads no to Marcus' question. Alice also confirmed that she had not experienced any type of ability that she was aware of.

"Everyone please continue to be cognizant of your bodies and report to me immediately if you notice anything out of the ordinary," Marcus instructed. "Jasper, let's get you set up for your transformation."

While Carlisle and Marcus tended to Jasper, the girls snuck over to the kitchen to grab some food. Poor Alice was forever hungry it seemed like. Emmett and I sat at the table in the lab waiting for the girls to return.

"So…" Emmett began hesitantly.

"So?"

"How's Bella doing?" he asked uncomfortably. "I mean besides nearly frying your ass."

I sighed heavily, looking toward the lab door and willing my angel to return to me quickly. I physically ached when we were apart for any length of time. "She's…angry. Reasonably so. But to some extent she blames herself and that makes her guilt almost too much to bear."

"Guilt? What the fuck?" Emmett looked at me incredulously, unable to comprehend what my little mate would have to feel guilty about. "You told her that what that sick fuck did to her wasn't her fault, right?"

"Of course I did, Emmett, but do you really think what any of us say on the subject matters?"

"Fuck," he sighed, running his fingers through his short hair. "Is she really messed up about it?"

I nodded, dropping my gaze to the table as my eyes misted over. I couldn't help her. Esme told me all we could do was be there for her and that eventually she would overcome these feelings. But I was harboring my own guilt, irrational as it was. I hadn't even met Bella when her assault occurred. The real kicker was if that bastard hadn't taken her off the I.V. she would have never escaped to the surface. Following that line of thinking, if she had never escaped, then I would have never found her in that pharmacy. We would all probably still be holed up in the school, living day to day...without my angel. Jesus, what a mind fuck.

I was brought out of my inner ramblings by a loud grunt. Looking over, I saw Jasper's face was flushed and dripping sweat. He snarled quietly as he pulled against the restraints of the chair. It wouldn't be much longer and he would be able to snap those restraints like a rubber band.

"Jazz?" I called, rising from my seat and heading over to comfort my brother-in-law. "It's okay man, this is normal."

"Doesn't feel fucking normal!" he spat. "Feels like I'm burning from the inside out!"

Carlisle and Emmett shared a look before both replying. "Yep…normal."

"Is everything okay?" Alice asked from directly behind me, scaring the piss out of me with her ninja stealth.

"Holy shit, Ali!" I spun around to face her, clutching my chest where my heart was pounding furiously as it tried to beat its way through my ribcage. "Wear a fucking bell or something."

"I'm sorry," she huffed, looking under my arm at her extremely agitated husband. "I just…felt…something-"

Jasper let a long string of expletives as he yanked one arm free from his restraints. "You shouldn't be here, Ali," I whispered, taking her by the arm to lead her from the room. "It's not safe for you and the baby while Jazz is in this state."

"No!" Alice shouted as she ripped her arm from my grasp and darted around me to get to her husband. Spry little fucking pixie. I caught her around her shoulders just before she reached Jasper, pulling her back to a safe distance while Jasper continued to thrash and curse.

Alice struggled against me as I pulled her over toward the table. Spinning to face me, she said, "You don't understand…I can help him."

"Help him how?" I demanded.

"I don't know…exactly," she mumbled as she gazed at her husband. "But something in me is pulling me to help him in some way. If I could just put my hands on him..."

"I think we should let her try," Emmett interjected. "I mean…stranger shit's happened, you know?"

Pulling at my hair in frustration, I sighed loudly. "Fine…but you hold my hand the entire time. At the first sign of hostility toward you, I'm yanking your ass away. Got me?"

Nodding frantically, my pixie sister jumped up from her seat. She grabbed my hand and pulled me in Jasper's direction, stopping four feet shy of her intended destination. Jasper continued to growl and snap, his eyes blazing. "Get the fuck away, Alice!" he snarled, spittle flying from his mouth.

"I can help," she whispered, reaching out slowly. She laid her palm on Jasper's restrained forearm and closed her eyes in concentration.

Jasper immediately reached out and grabbed her arm with his free hand, but made no attempt to dislodge her grip. After a few seconds, his thrashing stopped and he slumped forward, snoring peacefully.

We all stared dumbfounded as Carlisle quickly checked Jasper's vitals. "He's fine. His temperature is 104.9 and dropping. I expect it will be over for him soon."

Emmett clapped me on the shoulder, staring in wonder at my little sister. "Well ain't that some freaky shit."


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: Holy cow! Evolution made it into the top five in A Different Forest's November Fic Dive of the month! Thank you so much to everyone who voted!

As always, I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does.

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><p>BPOV<p>

"Bella, honey? Are you okay?" Esme's concerned eyes met mine from across the table. She had been nothing but supportive of me ever since Edward told me about what…_he_…did. I can't even bring myself to think his name anymore. But to be perfectly honest, I was just fucking tired. Tired of the nightmares, tired of flinching every time Edward tried to touch me, but mostly tired of the guilt.

What had I done to give him the impression that I wanted him? We were friends, sure. Had I lead him on in some way?

"Bella?"

"Yeah, Esme. I'm okay." I sighed, only picking at my food as I had completely lost my appetite…again. I took another bite of the tasteless sandwich, choking it down. I just couldn't face anymore disappointed looks from Edward. He was trying everything he could to be supportive, but my moods were off the charts. One minute I was fine and the next I was melting the plastic chairs.

It had been three days since Edward told me about…the incident. He was currently off with the other guys doing God only knows what. My eyes misted as I thought back to the arguments we'd had over the past few days. Arguments I had purposely started. He deserved better. The worst part was that I could feel his anguish through our bond.

"Oh sweetheart, you are so far from okay," she said, patting my hand. "Why don't we go find Edward?"

"No…I think I want to speak to S-Sam today," I stuttered on his name. I needed to face the bastard sometime. Today was as good a day as any.

"Bella, are you sure?"

Esme's concerned face swam in my watery vision. Was I sure? No. As a matter of fact, I was so completely unsure I thought I might crack wide open under the stress. Putting on a brave face, I did the only thing that seemed right in that moment…I lied. "Yes, Esme. I'm sure…I can handle it."

Seeing right through my façade, she sighed. "Bella, if you're not ready-"

"Dammit, Esme! I said I'm sure!" I shouted, pounding my fist on the table. Fuck, I could feel my temperature rising as my anger got away from me. My abilities were a whole other bit of consternation. This new advancement...it scared me. I once explained my ability to Carlisle as an exchange of energy…a sort of conversation between molecules. But this…this was wholly different. I could only equate it to what someone with multiple personalities must feel like. The rage would bubble up within me, taking over every train of thought, until it finally consumed me. Turning me into someone else. Someone not in control. I fought it always, and sometimes I won….but sometimes I lost.

"Okay Bella, whatever you want," Esme conceded. "Let's go find the boys and we'll decide on a time to do this. While I'll trust your judgment on whether or not you're ready to see Sam, I refuse to let you do it alone. Understood?"

"Yes, Esme," I agreed, my anger finally subsiding. At least I didn't burn my clothes off this time.

We searched all of the personal quarters and the pathway through the forest, but the boys were nowhere to be found. We found Alice napping in her room, but Rosalie was missing in action as well. Moving further into the compound, we finally located the boys and Rosalie clumped around a small viewing window that looked into one of the rooms we used as a cell.

"What's going on?" Esme asked, catching everyone by surprise. I actually laughed out loud at the resulting scene. They had all been huddled closely together, intently staring at whatever was on the other side of that window, completely oblivious to their surroundings. At the sound of Esme's booming voice, all four of them jumped sky high, knocking their heads together like something straight out of The Three Stooges. Esme and I both burst into a fit of giggles at the sight of them all rubbing the heads.

Edward stalked me playfully, approaching me at a slower pace than he normally would, ever mindful of my fears. "Think that was funny, did you?" Grabbing me around the waist he turned us in a circle, kissing the side of my neck while I squealed in amusement. No flinching…fucking progress.

He gingerly set me back on my feet and planted a loud and obnoxious kiss on my lips. "Hi," he whispered as he ran his thumb along my lower lip.

"Hi," I responded, lightly kissing his thumb on each pass.

"Good to see you too, Bells," Emmett bellowed, rubbing the corner of his forehead where a good sized goose egg was beginning to form. "I'm fine. Thanks for asking."

"Sorry, Em," my giggles taking over once again. "So what had all of you transfixed at the window?"

"We were just about to conduct an experiment," Carlisle winced, rubbing his own head as he maneuvered toward us, dodging Rosalie and Jasper as they nursed their own injuries.

"What kind of experiment?" I asked. The answering silence was almost deafening. Everyone shuffled their feet, eyes wandering around the corridor, unwilling to meet my gaze. "What's in that room?" Again, no reply. "Fine, I'll see for myself," I huffed, pulling myself from Edward's embrace and marching to the window.

Peeking around the inset window sill, I was met with a bloody, fingerless stump pressed to the glass and the gruesome face of a Dreg snapping at me, mere inches from my nose. I instantly recoiled in fear, backing into Edward's hard chest as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

"It's alright, sweetheart," he soothed. "It can't get to you."

Upon closer inspection, I counted six Dreg corralled inside this room. I suddenly realized these were some of the Dreg from the cafeteria. Spinning in Edwards arms, I looked at my mate incredulously. "What did you do? How did you get them here, Edward?"

"Now hold on, Bella," Emmett interceded, holding his hands palm out in front of him, ready to fall on his proverbial sword for his best friend. "Edward didn't have anything to do with this." Glancing over at Rosalie, he rubbed the back of his head anxiously. "I may not have been completely honest with how we lured the Dreg away from the cafeteria."

"What does that mean, Emmett?"

"Oh for fuck's sake!" Rosalie huffed. "It's not a secret or anything. Emmett did lead the majority of the Dreg away to Sector 12, but a few of them caught my scent while I was shadowing Emmett in case he got into trouble. It was close…but I managed to get them into this room and get out before any real harm was done."

"Any _real_ harm, Rosie?" I crossed my arms over my chest in a defiant stance. I may have even stomped my foot for good measure. "You're my sister. Don't fucking keep things from me!"

Bowing her head, Rosalie looked at me with wide eyes, silently communicating that she understood and was sorry. We had always been able to read each other's expressions. Or maybe it was just a freaky twin thing.

Turning my attention back to Edward, I asked, "What experiment could you have possibly been about to conduct with these things?"

"Edward wants to _read_ them," Jasper answered for Edward, smirking like a little boy who had just tattled on his arch enemy.

I gasped in surprise while a million different scenarios swirled in my head, all spiraling down to one intensely important question. "Is that safe?"

"We believe so," Carlisle answered astutely.

My anxiety escalated at the thought of my mate being anywhere near that many Dreg. "Edward-"

"Please calm down, sweetheart." Edward cupped the back of my head and leaned down for a rather illicit peck on the lips, whispering words of reassurance. "Everything will be fine, I promise. I'm not going into the room. I planned to try to do this through the window." He pulled away, taking my hand and leading me to stand against the opposite wall before returning to his position directly in front of the window.

Edward stood with his hands on either side of the small viewing window, peering into the face of the Dreg pressed against the glass. Several minutes passed before Edward began to speak.

"It's the strangest thing," Edward mumbled, completely entranced. "There are no memories of their lives, only the present…here and now. I can see my own face through its eyes. But there's more…"

"More what, Edward?" Carlisle asked, intrigued by Edward's vague comment.

"There are snippets of something…I can see my face from multiple angles." Suddenly Edward jumped away from the window, clutching his head.

I was immediately by Edward's side. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"I know why they travel in packs…why we hardly ever spot stragglers," he breathed, staring once again at the Dreg in the window with an awed expression on his face.

"Well spill it, man," Emmett urged, bouncing on his toes like a five year old. "The suspense is fucking killing me!"

Ripping his gaze from the putrid creature, Edward faced us all but directed his attention to Carlisle. "They're not really human anymore, Carlisle. There is nothing that could bring them back to their human state. That part of them is just gone…erased by the fever. They are only driven by the need to feed. However, just like Bella's DNA altered us, the prolonged fever has changed something within them as well." Running his fingers through his hair, he began to pace the hallway. "I can only describe it as a hive mind. What one sees, they all see."

"Are you sure?" Carlisle asked as he processed this new development.

Edward stopped to look back at the Dreg still thumping against the observation window. "I'm not sure about anything anymore, Carlisle. All I know is that Dreg was looking straight at me, but its brain was receiving images of my face from different angles…like he was seeing me from every other one's point of view in the room."

Carlisle hummed in understanding. "I need to document this and then speak with Marcus," he mumbled as he grabbed Esme and scurried down the hall mumbling under his breath. We were all left shrugging in confusion at Carlisle's abrupt departure.

Edward took my hand in his and raised it to his lips, gently kissing my palm before pulling me back in the direction of the lab.

"Wait! Wait!" Rosalie cried, dragging me to a stop in the middle of the corridor and yanking Edward backward a few steps. "I want to show you something!"

"Okay…" I watched suspiciously as Rosalie took several slow steps backwards toward the closed door of another small, currently unused, lab.

Emmett rubbed his hands together briskly, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Oh yeah, Bells, you're going to love this." Even though he was addressing me, his eyes stayed trained on his mate, twinkling with anticipation.

Rosalie took another step toward the door and raised her right hand, wiggling her fingers at me. One more step backwards, and Rosalie completely disappeared into the door.

"Rosie!" I shouted, racing toward the door. I half expected to propel right through just like Rosalie had, but instead was brought up short by the carbide door. The boys snickered behind me as they had obviously already been privy to Rosalie's newest party trick. Nearly frantic, I pounded my fists against the door and began fumbling with the identification panel. "Rosie!"

Suddenly, Rosalie appeared directly beside me, having walked straight out of the wall. "That's some crazy shit right?" she chuckled, turning toward me. The excitement dimmed from her eyes as soon as she saw the look of sheer panic on my face. "Oh, Bells, I'm sorry-"

Her words choked off as I wrapped my arms around her neck, squeezing the breath out of her. I was unable to speak as a sob worked its way up my throat, bursting from my lips before I could contain it. Pulling back to look at her, I mumbled an apology for my irrational outburst.

"I honestly didn't mean to scare you, Bells," she whispered, wrapping her arms around my shoulders.

"I know…I overreacted," I whispered back. "I'm a little tightly strung these days."

Edward and Emmett approached us cautiously, both seemingly apologetic for not warning me what was about to take place. Edward wrapped his muscular arms around my waist and gently pulled me from my sister's embrace, cocooning me in his own warmth.

"Let's head back to the lab, okay?" Edward murmured into my ear, his hot breath against my skin sent goose bumps crawling all the way down my arms. He straightened to his full height and began pulling me down the corridor.

"Wait," I pleaded, tugging him to a stop. "There was a reason Esme and I were coming to find you." Taking a deep breath, I charged ahead before I lost my nerve. "I want to talk to Sam today," I mumbled, the quickly spoken words all meshed together to create one garbled sentence.

"Did you say you want to speak to Sam?" Jasper asked, clearly curious as to my change of heart on the matter.

I slowly nodded in affirmation and looked into the faces of my family, hoping they would understand.

Blowing out a long breath, Edward ran his hand through his hair before turning to me determinedly. "If you think you're ready, then I say we go talk to the snake." Grabbing my hand once again, he led us in the direction of the cell where Sam was being held, his heavy footfalls the only sound reverberating throughout the otherwise silent corridors. As we neared our intended destination, a sense of foreboding filled my chest and my breaths became shorter and quicker. The door to Sam's room, while completely ordinary, now seemed ominous and sinister, as if personifying the evil that lie behind it.

"You're sure?" Edward asked, looking deep into my eyes for any sign of hesitation.

"Yes," I whispered, hoping that he could see the truth behind my fear.

"Okay, but I'm going in with you." Turning to our family, he said, "The rest of you keep an eye on things through the observation window."

Not bothering to even chance a glance at Sam through the window, I headed straight for the identification panel before I lost my nerve. As the carbide door engaged, Edward and I stepped into the monster's room hand in hand.

"Well, well, well…look who finally decided to show up," Sam taunted from his position on his makeshift bed. His broken leg had been casted a few days prior. My eyes drifted away from Sam and to the floor where two broken crutches lay in ruin. My head snapped back to Sam as he snarled, "I knew you would come eventually."

Edward was practically vibrating next to me as Sam's words roused his inner beast. If I had any hope of keeping Sam alive long enough to speak to him, I had to get Edward out of the room. Turning to face my mate, I noted his hardened features.

_Edward, can you wait outside for me? You'll be able to see me through the observation window the whole time. He won't open up with you here and there are things I need to know. Please…_

Nodding his consent, Edward moved to the door without saying a word. He knew how badly I needed to do this on my own. Once my mate was safely outside the room, I quickly disabled the identification panel so that we would not be interrupted. I would have my answers one way or the other. Even if I had to beat it out of him.

"Thanks for getting rid of your boy toy," Sam sneered. "Now we can get down to business." He palmed his dick through his shorts as bile rose in my throat.

"That's not what I'm here for Sam," I retorted. Looking around the room I quickly calculated the point that was the farthest distance from this foul creature and planted my back against the wall at that very spot. I didn't want to be any closer to him than I absolutely had to be. Taking a deep breath, I began my interrogation.

"Sam, why did you wake me up and let me out of that lab?"

"Stupid fucking Caius…he said they needed you for more experiments. He faked your death and brought you to that empty lab where he kept you sedated for days. He thought you were 'the key' to this whole mess and didn't care if he killed you in the process." Sam tugged at his shorts and licked his lips, his eyes running up and down the length of my body. "But Caius promised that I could have you…that you would be mine!"

A fist slammed down on the observation window behind me. Someone, probably Edward, was clearly unhappy with Sam's last statement. My frustration grew at the intrusion. I needed more information. Looking straight at Sam, I could see sweat beaded on his forehead as the temperature of the room slowly began to rise.

Seemingly oblivious to the increasing heat, Sam continued with his explanation as he stared at my body lasciviously. "I had it all planned out. After stopping the I.V. drip, I hid myself several hallways down from the lab. I knew that once you woke, you would head straight for your family and I would intercept you. Then I'd be the fucking hero for once and you would love me the way you were supposed to!" His voice began to rise toward the end of his rant.

My anger at his presumption escalated tenfold. However, Sam didn't seem to notice the increase in room temperature as his own ire began to take over.

"Not that you _ever_ do what I expect you to do," he continued, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "You took off in the opposite direction and were just too damn fast to follow. I lost you at a dead end."

"Why did Caius promise me to you in the first place?" I asked, the foul taste of my uncle's name coating my tongue.

Sam shifted uncomfortably on his bed, sweat stains seeping through his shirt as he panted from the heat. "Every person that works here knows what will happen to our sun. Caius had his suspicions that Marcus had found a way off this cursed rock, but was withholding the information. He thought that if I got close to you, I may be privy to some inside information-"

"You're wrong," I seethed, my outrage swirling in my head. "If my father knew of a way of getting off this planet, he would have said something-"

"No, that's where _you're_ wrong, sweetcheeks," Sam snickered. "I overhead Marcus and that freak mother of yours talking about it just two weeks before you disappeared. I just hadn't had a chance to tell Caius." His face darkened as he contemplated his next words. "But now Caius is no more and you know the true nature of my feelings for you."

More pounding on the glass threatened to invade my thoughts as I tried to process what the fiend had just admitted.

Sam struggled to sit up on the bed, sweat dripping from his body as his sinister gaze bore down on me. "See, Bella, here's the thing. _You. Are. Mine. _You will always be mine. I will have you no matter the cost, even if it means killing everyone you love. Their blood will be on your hands."

Sam panted with exertion as he struggled to stand. "Now come to me," he commanded with one hand tugging down his shorts and the other outstretched toward me.

At the sight of his exposed manhood…my fury exploded. Pure fiery hatred wrapped around me like a warm blanket as I spat my next words. "You will never touch me again."

Chaos swirled around us, my rage no longer able to be contained. Sam plopped back down on the bed, choking from the heat, utterly unable to speak. "My body does not belong to you._ I_ don't belong to you."

Sam's clothing began to smolder and burn away in patches, the unprotected skin underneath blistering from the extreme heat. I struggled to keep my own clothing intact, while everything plastic around me began to melt. The metal utensils sitting discarded on the table from his last meal began to warp and curl while my anger rampaged through the room unchecked.

Sam finally found his lungs, belting out a series of shrill screams, shouting obscenities at me as his skin cracked open. "You will never get away from me you stupid bitch! I _own_ you!"

The burning entity within me left my body in that moment, engulfing Sam in a vibrant blue flame. His screams broke through my trance as I looked down at my hands in confusion. Blisters were beginning to form on my skin and my head spun, my vision dimming. Maybe neither of us would ever leave this room.

As my vision faded further, I felt hands wrap around my waist, pulling me through the wall. Landing on my back in the center of the corridor, Edward's beautiful face appeared above me, his mouth moving frantically. But I couldn't hear anything above the roaring in my ears and Sam's shrieks…as he boiled to death inside that room.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews, favorites, and follows! I just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Be safe in your travels!

As always, I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does.

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><p>EPOV<p>

She locked the fucking door. Every time I tried the identification panel, I was rewarded with a glaring red light and a monotone female voice telling me "Access Denied". Even Rosalie, the technological genius, couldn't fix the fuckery that Bella had done to that door. She was, however, able to give us sound so we could hear everything going on in that room.

I never again wanted Bella to be in a situation where she felt vulnerable or abused, and yet here we were. I could tell the exact moment that she lost it. As soon as that sick fuck exposed himself, I knew he was never going to step foot out of that cell.

"Oh shit," Emmett gasped. "Look at the fucking silverware, man." We all watched in awe as metal began to warp from the rapidly rising temperature.

"How can she withstand that heat?" Jasper marveled.

"She can't," I mumbled. I had no idea if Bella was actually aware of the hell she was unleashing in that room. She stood stock still but seemed to almost vibrate with intensity. I tried the identification panel again and received the exact same outcome as before. Resuming my position at the observation window I hammered away at the glass with my fists.

As Sam's clothes burned away and his screams intensified, part of me cheered in triumph for my little mate. I wanted to kill the bastard myself for all the cruelties he was slinging at her. She would never be his, of that I was sure. But my victory was cut short when I saw Bella sway on her feet. From the view I had of the profile of her face, I could see her confusion as she raised a blistered hand toward her face. Fuck, this was bad. I had to get her out of there.

"Rosalie! Do you think you could move Bella _through_ the wall?" I barked, quickly running out of options.

"I-I don't know. I've never tried-"

"Try now! She'll die in there if we don't get her out!" I watched fascinated as Rosalie thrust her hands and arms through the wall, disappearing up to her shoulders. A split second later her arms reappeared, securely wrapped around my angel. They both tumbled to the floor and Rosalie quickly rolled to the side, extinguishing the small blue flames licking up her sleeves.

I dropped to my knees and hovered over Bella, trying desperately to get her to respond to me. Sam's dying screams filled the hallway before Jasper swiftly punched a code into the identification panel, silencing Sam once and for all.

"Bella! Look at me, baby! Please!" Her eyes were vacant as she stared off into space. Her clothing was in tatters as she had lost all control in the final minutes inside that room. The residual heat from her little body was positively stifling. Burns be damned, I scooped her into my arms and headed straight for the lab. I knew that Bella's blistered skin would probably heal before we ever reached our intended destination, but I was far more concerned with her mental faculties at the moment.

Rounding the corner into the lab, I rushed Bella over and laid her on the nearest vacant table, whipping off my own shirt to cover her partial nudity. Although her body was gradually cooling, her skin still felt extremely hot to the touch. "Please get me something to cool her down!" I shouted to anyone in the near vicinity.

Carlisle and Esme were by my side in an instant, cold compress in hand. "What happened?" Esme cried, laying the cool towels over various areas of Bella's body.

While I quickly relayed Sam's gruesome demise, Carlisle fluttered around Bella's body, working so fast his movements resembled the rapid flapping of a hummingbird's wings.

"Her heart rate is slightly elevated and I can't even get a read on her body temperature," Carlisle announced. "I think physically she will be fine, but mentally…" He trailed off as his worried gaze met mine across the table.

"I know," I whispered, dreading what this could do to my angel's already fragile psyche.

Bella began to come around as her internal temperature dropped. Her beautiful green eyes finally took on some recognition as they looked around the room, searching for something. As soon as her gaze met mine, she graced me with the smallest of smiles and sat up with her legs dangling from the table on either side of my thighs, holding my t-shirt to her exposed breasts.

"Hi," she whispered, her voice cracking a bit from the prolonged heat exposure.

I planted tiny kisses all over her beautiful face before pulling back to look at her sternly. "Don't ever do that to me again."

She squeaked in response, her voice finally giving way. Rosalie rushed over with a cup of water and one of those silly curly straws that was almost twice as long as the cup. "Sorry," she mumbled. "It was all I could find."

Taking several long pulls of water, Bella downed nearly the whole cup. She giggled slightly and then began to laugh in earnest at the ridiculous straw. The laughter quickly gave way to sobs as she threw the cup and straw against the wall. She leaned her head against my chest and took several deep breaths to quiet her cries. "I'm a monster…"

Rubbing her shoulders gently, I dropped a kiss to the crown of her head. "You are not a monster. You're the purest soul I know…beautiful inside and out."

"I killed Sam, Edward. What I did to him…" she sighed, shaking her head from side to side, still unwilling to look me in the eye. "It was…unnecessarily cruel. No one should die that way."

I placed two fingers under her chin and lifted her head up so that I could look straight into her eyes. "He was evil, Bella. I heard every word said in that room. You would have never been free from him. You only did what you had to do."

Emmett, Jasper, and Rosalie all sounded off in agreement, having been privy to the foul declarations Sam made before his death. Bella looked carefully into the face of each family member, searching for any hint of abhorrence or disappointment, finding only acceptance shining back at her.

"I never want any of you to be frightened of me," she mumbled.

"No one here would ever be frightened of you, sweetheart," Esme stated, wrapping her arms around Bella's shoulders and giving her a gentle, motherly squeeze. "But, Bella…what you did…facing him alone? That can't happen again. We're a family and we watch out for one another. Understood?" She looked sternly at Bella, punctuating her point.

Properly chastised, Bella nodded into my chest snuggling deeper into my arms as her sniffles dried up completely. "Speaking of family, where are mother and father? Sam made some accusations that I would like to discuss with them."

"They're holding a meeting with the other residents," Carlisle answered, retrieving the discarded ice packs and putting them away. "Marcus felt it was time to address our situation in its entirety."

"Good," I sighed. "Everyone needs to be brought up to speed." I looked down at my spent little mate. "Baby, why don't you go get a change of clothes and something to eat with Esme and Rosalie? I'm sure Alice could eat as well."

"That's the fucking understatement of the century," Jasper chuckled under his breath.

Bella jumped down from the table and kissed me lightly. "M'kay," she hummed against my lips before extracting herself from my arms and bolting from the lab, leaving behind my t-shirt. Rosalie and Esme left as well, chasing after Bella in a quest for food.

I sighed heavily, pulling my shirt back over my head, and looked around the lab at Carlisle and my brothers.

"Ah, fuck, I know that look," Emmett muttered as he plopped down at the table and ran his fingers through his short hair. "What's on your mind, _Sarge_?"

Too damn much…that was what was on my mind. "First and foremost...Bella," I responded. "Her ability is so fucking _intense_. I'll be honest…I'm terrified it's too much for her to handle-"

"Don't do that, Ed," Emmett grunted. "Don't underestimate her. She and Rosie both are really tough. I know Bella's ability is different than her sister's, but Rosie was scared of her new developments as well."

"Really?" Carlisle asked, obviously intrigued by the notion.

"Oh yeah, she didn't want anything to do with it at first." Emmett chuckled and shifted slightly in his seat. "But, uh…we were at each other all the time, you know? So her ability kept popping up at the most _inopportune_ times. Her being able to move through walls? Yeah, we found that one out the hard way."

I couldn't help but laugh at the thought of Emmett drilling poor Rosalie _through_ the wall. Bet that was a shock.

Emmett cleared his throat, drawing my attention back to him. "All I'm saying is you need to work with her. I worked with Rosie for two days before she finally got a handle on it. It's just like with your freaky mind thing, Ed. Now that you've practiced for a bit, it doesn't affect you near as bad as it did in the beginning. It's like working out a muscle, you know?"

"Jesus, the world really has gone to hell when Emmett starts to make sense," Jasper chuckled, earning a punch to the arm from Emmett that nearly knocked him from his chair.

"Shut it, asshole-"

"Nah, Jasper's right, Em," I chortled as I watched them shove each other back and forth. "I mean _you're_ right and I'm a douche. I've completely underestimated her."

"I've been thinking about these _enhancements_," Carlisle interjected, bringing an abrupt end to Emmett and Jasper's roughhousing. Retrieving his laptop, he quickly opened it and spun it around for all of us to see. "I began a chart of when each of us underwent our transformations and what the immediate effects were. Then I added when each person began to experience changes in those abilities. Notice anything weird?"

"Oh hell," Jasper breathed, "there's a pattern."

"Yes," Carlisle confirmed. "The enhancements are happening in the order in which each of us were transformed. I believe it also works in direct correlation with when we…uh…mated, but those particular activities aren't charted."

"Wait! So does that mean-"

"Yes Emmett, it would appear that you are next if this line of reasoning holds true," Carlisle sighed as he shook his head at Emmett's childlike exuberance. "So let me know if you experience anything out of the ordinary."

"Sweet!" Emmett punched the air in excitement with a goofy grin plastered to his face.

I heard soft murmurs and quiet giggles coming from the kitchen, the sound of my angel's laughter lightening my somber mood. "What about James?" I whispered, turning my attention back to the men seated around the table. "We haven't heard a peep from him or Caius and Aro in three days. He must be plotting something. I hope he hasn't developed some sort of enhanced ability. Technically his transformation would have taken place right after mine."

"I have a theory on that as well." Carlisle pulled his laptop back to face him and began typing furiously. "I once had a conversation with Bella about the origin of her abilities. She believed they were derived from her active X chromosome. I've been running some tests on her DNA…and I believe she's right. Her DNA is the key to all of this."

Carlisle's theories rattled around my brain until one glaring observation reared its ugly head. "Bella's blood didn't change James…mine did!"

Nodding his head, Carlisle clicked a few more keys on the keyboard before turning the screen to face us again. "I believe I've isolated the differences between Bella's DNA and ours." The screen displayed two very different DNA chains with circles indicating where ours were lacking. "While I do think James inherited the strength, speed and cellular regeneration due to his interaction with your blood, I don't believe he will gain any sort of extra abilities as you all have."

"Well that's a fucking relief!" Emmett breathed. "That cocksucker's dangerous enough without adding to it."

My eyes wandered back to the door, waiting eagerly for my little mate to return. Just talking about Bella made me ache for her. I needed her in ways that I would never be able to explain. "We should sit down with Marcus soon-"

"He already knows." Carlisle stood from the table to retrieve a blue notebook sitting next to his microscope and then came to reclaim his seat, opening the notebook to a page covered in messy scribbles and tiny notations. "We've been working almost non-stop for the last three days." Looking back down, he flipped to an empty page and began writing furiously. Without looking up, he continued, "I had my suspicions after Alice's display, so Marcus and I have been working around the clock."

Marcus appeared in the doorway with Didyme and the girls following closely behind. "Excellent, everyone's here." He quickly led the women into the lab and pulled over some extra chairs so that we could all be seated around the table.

Bella took her seat next to me and I noticed that she had changed into a pair of yoga pants and one of my t-shirts. Fuck, fuck, fuck. The only sight better than my girl in my clothes was the sight of her in nothing at all. I discreetly adjusted my rigid cock in my jeans. Suddenly, I wanted nothing more than to be back in our sanctuary, writhing and moaning, with her shouting my name for all to hear.

"Oomph!" Bella's elbow met my ribs with a swift jab as her eyes cut to mine in a clear warning. "Sorry," I mumbled, willing my erection to behave. Turning my attention back to Marcus, I desperately tried to dispel the images of my naked mate. "How was the meeting with the other residents?"

"It went well…all considered." Marcus looked around the table, his eyes finally landing on Carlisle and the blue notebook sitting on the table in front of him. "I take it you filled them in on our findings?"

"Yes," Carlisle replied. "They have been informed to come to me if they start to exhibit any behavior out of the ordinary."

"Very well, on to our next topic. Any further transformations will have to wait-"

"What? Why?" Esme asked, clearly concerned for the well-being of the other residents.

Marcus and Didyme shared a weary glance before Marcus continued. "We know that you are all immune to the blue shift because you were all changed by Bella's DNA. All of our testing also indicates that anyone changed by her DNA will exhibit some…extra abilities-"

"Holy shit!" I breathed as the realization of what Marcus was hinting at hit me full force. "You don't think James is immune to the blue shift because _my blood_ changed him!"

"Precisely," Marcus sighed. "When Carlisle and I figured out the origin of these extra talents, the question arose of whether or not to use Bella's blood or Edward's to change the other residents. The kind of power I have witnessed from all of you could be extremely dangerous in the wrong hands. I just don't know…" He sighed and hung his head in defeat. "In tinkering too much with human DNA, we could sentence everyone on this planet to death, but I'm afraid that we may not have a choice if my theories on James are correct. I need a test subject."

Marcus hesitated before looking at Bella. "I know this is extremely unorthodox, but Sam is malicious and I was hoping-"

"Sam's dead," my angel whispered while her eyes filled with tears. "I killed him."

I pulled my little mate into my lap as she broke down in wracking sobs. Rubbing her back, I shushed her gently while we rocked back and forth. Rosalie and Emmett relayed the events surrounding Sam's death as Marcus and Didyme listened intently.

"I should have killed him myself," Marcus muttered and shook his head in disgust. "And if I ever see my no good brothers again…"

Bella breathed deeply, hiccuping from the tightness in her chest, and tried to regain her composure. "But n-now we n-need him. Someone else m-may die because I c-couldn't control myself!"

"Shh, Bella," I soothed. "I can feel your temperature rising. Please calm down for me, baby."

Emmett snorted in amusement, catching us all by surprise. "I know where we can get a test subject."

"I won't ask any of the residents to volunteer for this," Marcus concluded. "We'll just have to find another way to test-"

"I didn't mean one of the residents," Emmett muttered, rolling his eyes at Marcus' inference. "I meant James. He was changed by Edward's blood, so let's go get him and radiate the shit out of him. He's a pompous prick that probably thinks we're too scared of him to come after him. So, I say let's launch an offensive. Kill two birds with one stone, you know?"

Well, fuck me. Why hadn't I thought of that?


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! Thank you to everyone who took time out of their busy holiday to read and review!

As always, I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does.

EPOV

"Aw c'mon, Alice…do it again," my angel begged, bouncing in her seat, as her and my pixie sister sat huddled together at the table, obviously up to no good.

Alice giggled discreetly with her hand cupped over her mouth. "Fine, fine. Just….wait for it." She closed her eyes and the little wrinkle between her eyebrows appeared, denoting some serious concentration.

I didn't immediately notice anything out of the ordinary, so I took a few moments to assess the room. Jasper and Marcus studied a three dimensional projection of the entire compound, plotting courses and possible entry and exit points. Carlisle and Esme stood with their heads together huddled in front of Carlisle's microscope, him making observations and her notating them in his blue notebook. They were working on decoding Bella's DNA and seemed to be making progress. Emmett sat in the corner working with Rosalie on honing her talent. She was getting really good at it, too. She could easily move between rooms through walls. If she concentrated hard enough, she could move other people with her. Although…Emmett did lose a shoe.

I took Emmett's advice and had been working with Bella and her ability. I don't know what came over her earlier, but we were working closely at the table when she got a little…frisky. Next thing I knew, my pants were in ashes and I was hauling ass back to our quarters for a new pair. Jesus, what I wouldn't give for flame retardant underwear.

My attention was pulled back to the present as Emmett suddenly screeched like a little girl and jumped up on top of his stool, teetering dangerously close to toppling over. He continued to shriek in fear, dancing from one foot to the other, while my mate and my sister fell over each other in peals of laughter.

"Oh God," Bella wheezed between giggles. "That was the best one yet!"

"Dammit Alice!" Rosalie huffed while trying to coax Emmett down from his lofty perch.

"What the fuck?" I asked, completely perplexed as to what in the blue fuck had just happened.

Didyme strolled over to our table, leveling my sister with a serious glare. "Alice, I know you want to test out this talent of yours, but I really wish you would wait until you are further along in you pregnancy. I don't want you to put any undue strain on your body or the baby."

"Yes ma'am," Alice replied, still trying to quiet her own hysterics while giving Bella the stink eye. "I think I'll pop over to the kitchen and grab a bite to eat."

Jasper chuckled as his wife's words met his ears. "Always hungry...she'll be big as a house."

Alice whipped around at his snide remark, obviously hurt by his offhand comment. "Hey! How about you grow the hybrid and I'll be the pompous asshole! How about that?" she shouted and turned, running from the lab as tears streamed down her face.

"Ah fuck!" Jasper muttered, running a hand through his messy blond hair. "I didn't mean anything bad-"

"Oh son," Marcus sighed, "you had better go smooth that over quick." Marcus clapped Jasper on the back and pushed him toward the door in the direction of Alice's hasty exit. Jasper scurried after his little mate mumbling something about ice cream and Tabasco sauce.

I watched as Emmett shook his head in confusion and climbed down from his stool, clearly baffled as to why he was up there in the first place. There was a vital piece of information here that I was obviously missing. "What the fuck was that all about?" I asked, looking to Bella for answers as she was apparently Alice's willing accomplice.

Bella finally regained control over her giggles, taking deep breaths as she wiped the tears from under her eyes. While I was ecstatic to hear my angel's laughter again, I really wanted an explanation. "Oh fine," Bella sighed, crossing her arms over her chest with a loud humph. "Alice can manipulate emotions. She's apparently been working on it in secret. I didn't realize the strength of her talent until she pulled that shit on you and me earlier-"

"Wait, that was Alice that made you roast my jeans?" The room erupted in laughter…at my expense, of course.

Bella giggled through her fingers, eyeing me seductively. "Lust…it's one fucked up weapon."

"How long have you known about her talent?" I was a little miffed at being left out of the loop…again, but looking around the room, I apparently wasn't the only one caught unaware. Carlisle, Esme, and Emmett looked just as confused as me.

Bella gazed at me wide-eyed and mumbled, "I had my suspicions after Jasper's transformation." She must have noticed the frustration on my face because she quickly backpedaled. "I swear I didn't know anything for sure. Rosalie put it together before I did!" Bella quickly pointed an accusing finger in Rosalie's direction as her sister huffed in indignation at being called out.

"Fucking hell, Bella," Rosalie grumbled. "Toss me under the bus why don't you…"

Carlisle cleared his throat loudly drawing our attention to him. Storm clouds rolled through his usually bright blue eyes as he surveyed the room. "Exactly what part of 'keep me informed of any changes in your abilities' did all of you misunderstand?" He sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

Bella and Rosalie both lowered their eyes to the floor. "Sorry," both girls mumbled quietly.

Didyme looked at her daughters disapprovingly before addressing Carlisle. "My apologies, Carlisle. Little Alice informed me of her discovery this morning. I instructed her to inform you of the changes and to try and restrict use of her talent until I could ascertain the effect her ability may have on her growing child."

A small squeak from the doorway alerted us all to my sister's reappearance. Turning toward Alice, Didyme continued, "My request was either ignored or forgotten." Alice stood just inside the lab with a bowl in one hand and Jasper clasped tightly to her other hand.

"Okay, I can explain," Alice began, releasing Jasper and moving further into the room. "You all know that when Jasper underwent his transformation, I had a sudden urge to _ease_ his suffering. At the time, Carlisle was unsure if it was part of my ability or just an aspect of Jasper being my mate."

"When did it change?" Carlisle asked, grabbing his notebook and pencil.

My sister's cheeks flushed and she began to fidget under Carlisle's scrutiny. "Last night," she mumbled. "Jasper was half asleep, but I was feeling…uh…spontaneous. I just kept wishing in my head that Jasper felt a little more…amorous."

"And?" Carlisle prodded.

"And…he jumped me…without provocation," she mumbled before taking a huge bite of the disgusting concoction inside her bowl.

Carlisle jotted down her explanation and then turned to her equally mortified husband. "Jasper? Can you explain what happened?"

Shifting uncomfortably, Jasper shuffled his feet a little before looking at Carlisle sheepishly. "I honestly can't explain it, Carlisle. One minute my eyes were drooping and the next I was humping Alice like a dog in heat. I swear it came out of nowhere."

Emmett crowed with laughter. "My God, Alice! You horn dog!" He danced around her, poking fun and making lewd gestures.

"Screw you, Emmett!" Alice shouted around another mouthful of ice cream as Emmett continued to tease her. "I can't wait until Rosalie gets pregnant! Then you'll see!"

Emmett's gleeful jig came to an abrupt halt at Alice's words, the color draining from his face as he pondered the possibility of a pregnant Rosalie. I snickered quietly, suddenly assaulted with images of Rosalie tossing Emmett through the air for his tactlessness or humping him mercilessly due to her increased libido. I almost couldn't wait.

"Dammit, Emmett!" Rosalie shouted. "Leave the girl alone before she makes you cry again." Grabbing ahold of his bicep, she yanked him backward and away from Alice. Emmett appeared too shell shocked to protest.

Clearing his throat again, Carlisle continued with his interrogation. "So how does it work? Do you feel a person's emotion first?"

Shaking her head back and forth, Alice responded, "No, not at all." She glanced back over her shoulder at Jasper and then back to Carlisle. "Well…except for Jasper. I can feel when he needs something, but not anyone else."

"Now that _is_ a mate thing," Bella quipped, looking at me knowingly. Out of the four couples, Bella and I had technically been mated the longest. I could feel every emotion that ran through her. Joy, playfulness, need, want…_desire_. Those were the easy ones. The sadness, shame and utter…_anguish_, on the other hand, those gutted me.

Alice shrugged her dainty shoulders at Bella's revelation. "With Bella earlier, I hadn't set out to test my ability…really. It was purely accidental. I was feeling somewhat needy for Jasper, but I didn't want to interrupt his strategy session with Marcus. So I pushed the feeling out toward Bella," Alice snickered. "Boy did she ever react."

Bella and Alice both giggled looking over at me.

"I was never a good poker player, so Bella figured out pretty quick that I had done…something," Alice explained, her eyes suddenly blazing. "From there it was _on_. I don't think Bella ever forgave Emmett for that little security camera in the freezer situation. So far Emmett seems to be the easiest to influence. Maybe he's emotionally stunted-"

"Oh come on!" Emmett bellowed. "You just wait, Alice! My ability's probably going to be something totally kick ass…like shooting laser beams out of my eyes or something!" Emmett gestured wildly for emphasis and then pointed at my sister accusingly. "Payback's a bitch, short shit!"

Alice was on Emmett before anyone could blink, perched on his back and smacking him relentlessly with her tiny fists. "Shut it, you big oaf!" she shouted, pounding away at the top of his head as if it were a bongo drum. "You're ability will probably suck! Like noxious gas or something!"

Jasper plucked his mate from Emmett's back before she could do any real damage. "Calm the fuck down, Alice! This hostility isn't good for Bump."

"Bump?" every asked simultaneously.

"Baby nickname…" Jasper mumbled as he held Alice restrained in his arms. Hoisting her up, he quickly carried her from the lab and down the hallway while she continued to hurl insults feverishly.

Carlisle was still jotting notes in his notebook and mumbling under his breath. Finally looking up, he asked, "Emmett, you haven't experienced anything unusual, correct?"

"Ah hell, doc…my whole fucking life is unusual these days," Emmett sighed. "But if you're referring to my super-awesome, incredible hero ability…no. Nothing, zilch, nada, zero, diddly squat-"

"We get the fucking point, Em," I snickered. Sometimes Emmett got on my last fucking nerve and then other times his juvenile antics made me laugh until my sides ached and tears poured from my eyes. The jury was still out on which day today would be.

"Then listen closely!" Carlisle barked. "If you notice any changes at all…and I mean _anything_…inform me at once. Are we clear?"

"Yes sir," we all mumbled in agreement even though his request was intended more for Em.

Huffing loudly, Carlisle returned to his microscope and Marcus continued his plotting with the compound schematic. Emmett strolled over and plopped down onto a stool next to me, crossing his massive arms in front of his chest while glaring at my angel. "So…Et tu, Brute?"

"Really, Em?" I asked, pulling Bella into my lap to shield her from Emmett's wrath. "You so brought this on yourself. You should have kept your damn mouth shut about that security camera in the freezer."

Rosalie giggled from behind Emmett as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Told you…" she sang into his ear.

"Not my fault you two fuck like bunnies in public places," he muttered.

I felt Bella's temperature start to rise as she tensed in my arms, her quick temper flaring at Emmett's accusation. "It's none of anyone's business where we fuck-"

Holding her tighter, I whispered soothing words in her ear and tried to calm her ire. "Emmett…if you value your pants…please don't test Bella." My attention was suddenly drawn away from my best friend and down the hall to three sets of thundering footsteps quickly approaching the lab. Sniffing the air, I immediately recognized Jacob, Ness, and Seth. Their heartbeats were quick and their blood pumped furiously, laced with fear and adrenaline. Fuck, something was wrong.

I leapt from my seat, almost dumping Bella on the floor in my haste, and met the trio at the entryway to the lab. "What's wrong?" I demanded as Bella flashed to my side.

Jacob skidded to a halt causing both Ness and Seth to crash into his back, toppling all three of them into a heap at my feet. Clearly surprised by my sudden appearance, Jacob clutched at his chest. "Fuck! Ed, man…give me a damn heart attack, why don't you!" He quickly righted himself and pulled Ness and Seth up off the floor.

Having heard Jacob's voice, Emmett joined us at the doorway, all earlier playfulness forgotten. "Jacob? What's going on, pup?" Emmett's big brother tendencies were so pronounced, every woman in the room seemed to swoon. It was an incredibly admirable quality.

Jacob quickly deferred to Ness, guiding her to the front of their little group. She seemed very intimidated by both me and Emmett, shifting her gaze back and forth between us before finally speaking. "My parents are gone," she whispered timidly almost too low for anyone to hear. Jacob held her close as she broke down into sobs.

I quickly ushered them inside the lab and over to the table where Jacob pulled Ness into his lap, trying valiantly to quiet her cries. "Ness, honey?" Marcus implored as he and Didyme rushed towards us. "Are you hurt? What's happened?"

Ness hiccuped several times, her chest hitching as she tried to calm down to a point where she could speak. "Mom and Dad…they're gone-"

"Gone where, sweetheart?" Didyme soothed as she picked up Ness's hand and squeezed reassuringly.

"I-I don't know…" Ness looked to Marcus before she continued. "Ever since that meeting you held, they've been working around the clock on some project. Then, last night, I heard them fighting about going back to the bridge. This morning they were gone along with most of their research notebooks." She sniffled quietly as Marcus and Didyme exchanged a worried glance. "I've looked everywhere I can think of, but I have no idea what bridge they're talking about! They wouldn't go topside, right?"

"Shh, sweetheart. All will be well," Didyme consoled, stroking Ness's hair gently. "We will find them. I promise you."

Marcus looked at me wearily, nodding his head to the side as he beckoned me away from the group. We discreetly backed away until we were out of earshot. Marcus obviously had more information than he was willing to let on with the children in the room. "What's happening?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.

Marcus sighed heavily as he gazed over my shoulder at Didyme, watching her comfort the distraught girl in Jacob's arms. He began to speak, his eyes never wavering from his mate as she led them out of the lab and into the kitchen. "Garrett and Kate are my best astrophysicists. They've been working on an Einstein-Rosen Bridge, what you may know as a wormhole. In essence, it's an instantaneous doorway from one point in space to another."

"Yes, Marcus," I responded. "I've seen sci-fi movies. I know what a wormhole is." My mind whirled with the implications of his words. "Wait...are you saying that Garrett and Kate have developed a wormhole? Here…underground?"

Marcus confirmed my suspicions with a quick nod of his head. "I believe that Garrett and Kate were very close to establishing a bridge between our planet and Didyme's home world. We worked in complete secrecy, too afraid of what our government would do with that knowledge to trust them." His eyes creased with concern as he glanced back toward his daughters and Emmett where they stood discussing the situation. "I may have been a tad bit…grim…in the meeting with the residents. I'm afraid I've driven them to desperation."

"I don't think your discovery was a secret anymore," I sighed, thinking back to Sam's dying declarations. "Before he died, Sam insinuated that your brothers and Simmons may have had knowledge of your experiments. He was fairly adamant that you had discovered a way off the planet." I was so absorbed in my conversation with Marcus, that I nearly missed the small, infuriated voice that spoke from directly behind me.

"Is it true?" I spun on my heel, shocked by the sudden appearance of my little mate. Tapping her foot impatiently, she glared at her father. "Is it true?" she repeated slower, her frustration rolling off of her in waves. "Was Sam right?"

"Yes, sweetheart," Marcus confirmed as he tried to gather Bella in his arms. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

Bella wanted no part of his apology and backed away slowly, her anger spiraling out of control. Fearing what might happen if I let this go on much longer, I stepped forward and wrapped her in my arms. Her skin was searing, singeing my clothes slightly where we touched. I held her steadfast, knowing full well that our bond would not allow her to significantly harm me.

"Let me go, Edward-"

"No," I replied sternly. "You can control this, Bella. We've worked on this, baby. Try…" I pleaded as Marcus watched his daughter struggle with her talent. Minutes ticked by while I held my shaking angel as her rage dissipated. Bella finally blinked up at me, her eyes clear and remorseful.

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't say it, sweet girl," I sighed against her lips. "You have nothing to be sorry for. It's part of who you are. You'll get a handle on it."

Bella crashed her lips to mine in a fiery kiss and pressed her little body against mine, indifferent to our location or our family as they tried to look anywhere but at our public display.

"Exhibitionists, I tell you…" Emmett muttered, earning a smack on the head from Rosalie.

Bella pulled away, suddenly embarrassed by our spectacle. She ducked her head under my chin, trying to melt into me to avoid the heated stares from her sister and Emmett. Chuckling, I turned my back on our audience to allow Bella a moment to regain her composure. Pulling her lips back up to mine, I whispered, "Soon. I will have you…naked and begging. We'll set the sheets _ablaze_-"

"Ahem!" Marcus cleared his throat from a few feet away. He was obviously uncomfortable with hearing all the ways I planned to defile his daughter. "Bella, I'm sorry for keeping you and your sister in the dark about the bridge. It wasn't operational and I was beginning to fear it never would be. I didn't see a point in getting everyone's hopes up only to be dashed when I couldn't get the blasted thing to work."

Bella's forgiving nature would never allow her to stay angry at her father for long. She walked into his embrace, hugging him tightly. "I understand, daddy. I just don't agree with keeping secrets. The old world we once knew is gone and we are all that's left to forge ahead and try and save those that we can. You _have_ to let us help."

"So where is this bridge thing?" Emmett piped up, crossing the room toward us. "If that is where Garrett and Kate were headed, where would they go?"

Marcus sighed, defeated. "The bridge was built in Sector 1." Bella and Rosalie gasped at his declaration.

"Okay…what's in Sector 1?" I asked, curious as to their reactions.

"Not what…who," my angel responded, raising a shaking hand to her lips. "James."


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews and alerts! I'm so happy you are all hanging in there with me. I have to warn you…speed bumps ahead.**

**As always, I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does.**

* * *

><p>EPOV<p>

"For the millionth fucking time…I don't see what the big goddamn deal is," Emmett huffed, lacing his hands behind his head and leaning his chair back on two legs, balanced perfectly to keep from falling backward. I secretly hoped that a gust of air would blow through and knock him on his ass. He'd been extremely obnoxious for the past hour and I wasn't sure how much more my nerves could take.

"Fine," Bella huffed in annoyance. "Let me explain…again. I'll try to use simple words so you can understand."

Emmett's eyes narrowed at Bella shrewdly. I knew that look well. He was scheming.

Ignoring his change in demeanor, my angel forged ahead with her explanation. "We haven't heard a peep from either James or my dear _uncles_ in quite some time. Aro and Caius could have made their way back to James or they could be Dreg food. Either way it's an unknown."

"And James is a stealthy motherfucker," I interjected. "There has to be a _reason_ we haven't heard from him. Even though we all know he's a complete douche, he's still wicked smart." Every fiber in me loathed to concede that fact about James, but the truth was he had been a damn good tracker back at camp. His military expertise rivaled ours, making him a dangerous adversary. He just made poor choices in the heat of the moment. "I'm willing to bet we haven't heard from him because he's been planning and preparing. Now, I don't know what kind of resources he has in Sector 1 and we still aren't one hundred percent sure he hasn't developed an ability. That's all just conjecture that we haven't had a chance to prove-"

"A chance we won't get unless we go and get the bastard!" Emmett pounded his fist on the table, his patience wearing thin. "I'm sick and tired of sitting around here waiting."

Jesus…we had been at this for hours. Impetuous Emmett was rearing his ugly head. No matter how many times we'd been over the facts, Emmett still insisted on rushing in. The end of the world had given Emmett a bit of a hero complex despite his military training, and I feared he would leap headlong into a fray he was ill-equipped to deal with.

I sighed as I looked over at my frazzled little mate. My eyes stung with exhaustion and my vision blurred, Bella's beautiful face doubling before melding back to one. The other couples had retired a few hours ago, wanting to be well rested and clear headed for our strategy meeting in the morning. Rosalie departed shortly thereafter, too weary of Emmett's petulance to ignore her own fatigue any longer.

"Emmett," I sighed, rubbing my face briskly. "We need sleep. We're going to meet in the morning to work out a plan. No one wants to wait any longer, but we are definitely not at our best right this moment. Go to bed…get some rest. We will figure this out tomorrow."

Having said my peace, I pushed away from the table, the chair legs scraping loudly against the tile floor. I pulled Bella from her chair and tugged her out of the lab, down the hallway and into our personal quarters.

Bella stumbled into the room, shedding her clothes as she went until she was completely naked, and made a beeline for the shower. I followed hastily while I yanked my own shirt over my head and stepped out of my jeans and underwear, leaving them where they landed on the floor like a trail of breadcrumbs.

The blanket of steam from the shower filled the tiny bathroom, veiling my little mate in a cocoon of humid air and casting only shadows back at me. I reached blindly for her, finding her slick skin in the swirling mist and pulled her to me. "Fuck, angel, I want you so much…all the time." Even now, as dead tired as I was, I wanted nothing more than to bury myself in her and get lost…_for_ _days_. There was never enough time for us.

"Please, Edward…" she begged, running her hands up my naked torso and around my shoulders to tangle her fingers in the damp hair at the base of my neck. Rising onto her tiptoes, she trailed soft kisses along my scruff jaw, nibbling lightly with teeth and tongue.

My hands wove into her long hair, pulling softly through the wet tangles all the way to the ends, until I reached the small of her back. I wrapped my arms around her and crushed her to me, my mouth claiming hers greedily. She moaned into the kiss and I hissed though my teeth. Trapped between our sweltering bodies, my rigid cock pulsed with every beat of my heart.

"Don't tease, Edward…please don't make me wait."

We were both physically exhausted and in no mood for foreplay, but we _needed_ this. We needed to reconnect. I picked her up, turning, and placed her pert little ass on the edge of the counter in front of the sink, pulling her to the very edge and wrapping her legs around my waist. She released me and leaned her upper body back until her head rested against the mirror bolted to the wall, her dainty hands travelling up her body until she cupped both breasts.

Fuck, I wanted it to be my hands squeezing those spectacular globes, but if I let go of her hips she would slide off the countertop. She was balanced precariously as it was. "Pinch those nipples for me, Bella…I want to _watch_." As her nimble fingers moved to her tiny buds, pinching and pulling them into little points, her eyes closed and she panted in anticipation. My hands slipped over her hips and around to the back of her thighs, my fingers digging into her slick flesh seeking purchase. I opened her legs wider and settled into the cradle of her thighs, the head of my cock positioned perfectly at her moist slit.

Pushing slowly into her body, I reveled in the exquisite feel of her wrapped tightly around me. Our bond ignited and crackled around us like electricity, healing the frayed edges of our joined psyche. My eyes rolled to the back of my head as my pace increased, pulling her down to meet me thrust for thrust. I bent over to take a rosy nipple in my mouth, biting gently, as Bella's hand gripped my hair and held me in place. Her walls quivered around me, pulling me in deeper and deeper as she raced toward her climax.

My own orgasm was rapidly approaching, every intrusion into her little body punctuated with a loud grunt. "God, baby, I need you to come. I can't hold back any longer," I panted as the swell of pure bliss began to crest. Bella's orgasm finally overtook her, sweeping her away into a sea of soft moans and gentle spasms.

Fully sated, I rested my forehead in the valley between my angel's breasts and panted heavily, the moist air moving haggardly in and out of my lungs. Bella's own chest rose and fell in time with mine as she struggled to catch her breath, the weighted vapor making it that much more difficult.

I gently lifted my little mate into my arms and carried us into the shower. Setting her on her feet, I washed every inch of her body, massaging the soap into her sore muscles and neck. Her eyes drooped while I lathered and rinsed her hair. I longed for sleep as I quickly bathed myself and shut off the water. Wrapping us both in a warm towel, I led Bella back to the bedroom and dried every drop of moisture from her porcelain skin. She pulled back the blankets and flopped down on the bed, asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Taking a moment to appreciate the view of my naked mate, I chuckled as her soft snores met my ears. My weary body could hold out no longer and I dove into the bed, wrapping Bella up in my arms. I nuzzled my nose in her damp hair and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

It seemed only minutes had passed when I was awoken by shouting from the hallway. Looking at the watch on my wrist I realized we had actually been asleep for almost seven hours. "Baby," I whispered, shaking Bella gently to rouse her from her slumber. "Wake up, sweetheart. We need to get dressed."

"Don't want to," she mumbled into her pillow before peeking up at me through the curtain of her hair.

Chuckling at her childish demeanor, my fingers ghosted up her sides as I tickled her lightly. She wriggled out of my grasp and leapt from the bed, her tinkling laughter filling the small space. Our playful antics were cut short by more raised voices from the hallway. Realizing that our private time was over, Bella and I quickly redressed and left the room in search of everyone else.

Finding our family in the lab, I was shocked at the state of Didyme and Esme as they huddled together on the floor in the corner, sobbing quietly.

Alarmed, Bella and I raced forward and knelt down next to Esme. "What's happened?" I demanded. Quickly surveying the room, I noted that all of our immediate family were present, so there had to be another cause behind their grief.

Marcus laid a comforting hand on my shoulder and pulled me to an upright position. "Come sit down and I'll fill you in."

Leaving the women to comfort one another, I made my way to the table and slumped into one of the chairs next to Emmett, bracing myself for the bad news I was sure to come. Marcus gave me a forlorn look and sighed before launching into his explanation.

"An idea came to me early this morning. As you already know, the cameras on the opposite side of the compound were disabled by Simmons and his crew. Since the main control room was on our side of the facility, Simmons didn't want us spying on him." Marcus spat Simmons' name as if it left a foul taste in his mouth and shook his head in disgust. "But if Garrett and Kate made it to Sector 1, they would surely reconnect the camera inside that lab in order to establish contact with us."

The idea had merit. Truth be told, it was what I would do in that situation.

Marcus' eyes grew sad as he continued. "I woke Rosalie and we made our way to the control room to check the monitoring system. All active cameras record continuously and back up to our servers. As I suspected, they had indeed reengaged the camera inside that lab." Marcus turned a small handheld monitor toward me and pressed the tiny green button. "I recorded this message."

My eyes moved to the monitor as Garrett's face came into view, filling the entire screen. He seemed haggard and his eyes were moving frantically back and forth from the lens and somewhere off to the left, where it appeared as if he was tinkering with the camera.

"Dammit Kate! The green light is on so I know it's working! I _am_ an engineer for fuck's sake!" Kate's muffled cries could be heard from behind Garrett, but I wouldn't be able to see her until he backed away. "Marcus…I hope you can hear me. As I'm sure you are already aware, Kate and I have snuck away. After discussing the dire situation you presented to us a few days ago, Kate and I decided we needed to get back to work on the bridge." He quickly snapped his head to the left as a loud bang echoed through the room.

"Garrett!" Kate screamed.

"Katie, they can't get through that door!" Garrett snapped his head back around to the camera. "We worked from our new quarters as much as we could, but Marcus…we needed access to the bridge. I think we may have made a breakthrough-"

Another loud bang caused Garrett to lose his footing and he tumbled down from the stepladder, landing hard on his back with a loud "Oomph!" With an unobstructed view, I could now see almost the entire expanse of the lab. Slumped against the far wall away from the door was Kate and lying across her lap was another scientist, Ben Cheney…missing an arm.

Someone had tied a makeshift tourniquet around the bloody stump, but his blood continued to slowly pool around them. I could barely make out the shallow rise and fall of his chest. Ben's lips were moving as Kate sobbed, softly running her hand through his hair. If it weren't for the incessant banging at the door, I could probably make out what was being said.

Garrett's face filled the screen once more as he regained his footing on the stepladder, cutting off my view to the rest of the lab. "Marcus…Ben came with us to try and help. But…oh God…" he trailed off while rubbing his face, the dried blood on his hand a gory reminder of the horror that lay behind him. His haunted eyes look directly into the camera. "We were attacked not too far from the lab. A group of those creatures happened upon us and Ben took the brunt of the assault before we could make it through the door and seal the lab." Tears filled his eyes as he looked over his shoulder and then back at the camera. "He's not going to make it, Marcus. This side of the compound is completely _fucked_! I can't explain it, but I could swear that those things were being driven…_controlled_ in some way."

I gasped at his revelation and looked up to find Marcus staring at me intently, silently communicating his mutual concern. My attention was drawn back down to the monitor as Garrett continued to speak.

"Marcus…if you decide to make your way here…you have to go _under_. Do you understand?" Garrett's face suddenly disappeared as the signal was disrupted and the screen abruptly went black.

"What happened?" I asked, looking back at Marcus.

"We're not sure," Marcus sighed, tucking the monitor away. "Rosalie thinks it could be a short in the wiring. Regardless, we'll keep recording and remain hopeful that he can get the camera working again."

Emmett stood and began to pace the room. He stopped suddenly directly in front of Marcus. "What did Garrett mean by 'go under'?"

"It's code," Marcus mumbled. "I doubt Garret felt the system was secure so he was speaking in a kind of code. He didn't mean for us to actually go under the facility."

"Then what _did_ he mean?" Emmett pressed.

"There's another secret entrance on that side of the compound."

All of the women, but Didyme, gasped at Marcus' declaration. "What do you mean there's another entrance?" both Bella and Rosalie asked simultaneously as they made their way to the table.

Marcus flinched at their accusing tone before reluctantly answering. "The compound runs under Groom Lake clear to the southern shore where Edwards Air Force Base sits. The entrance is similar to the one in Rachel. It's located under an office inside Hangar B."

Emmett clapped his hands and rubbed them together in anticipation. "Well, what are we waiting for?"

"Emmett! Sit!" Rosalie commanded. "We can't just run off halfcocked!"

Marcus bowed his head again as Didyme rubbed the tension from his shoulders. "She's right, Emmett," he sighed. "We would have to go topside to get there and that side of Groom Lake is much closer to Las Vegas-"

"Which means a high probability of running into larger hordes of Dreg," I finished, pulling Bella into my lap and nuzzling her neck. Her close proximity always provided some level of comfort regardless of the situation.

"I'm also concerned about a few of the other things Garrett mentioned in his transmission. Firstly, the possibility that the Dreg are being controlled."

Emmett chuckled in disbelief. "Awe shucks, Marcus, no one could control those things-"

"Actually," Didyme interjected, "one of our older experiments for the government did involve a form of mind control."

"Are you fucking serious?" Emmett bellowed. "Why does it feel like everything you guys conceived down here is working against us?"

Didyme hung her head in shame. "We were trying to better the human race, Emmett. The CIA was looking for a type of truth serum for prisoners of war, so that the harsher tactics of divining information could be retired. But the implant we invented took away the prisoner's logic and reasoning and only allowed for basic motor control. The project was scrapped."

"We only made around a hundred of those implants, so the Dreg can't _all_ be under someone's control," Marcus surmised.

"Fuck…" I muttered, running my hand through my hair as Carlisle looked at me having come to the same conclusion. "It only takes one in a horde to be under control. When gathered together, they have a hive mind, remember? If one is under control, they're all under control."

Emmett slumped into the nearest chair. "Fuck my life," he muttered. "So James could potentially be leader of the Dreg…fan-fucking-tastic."

"I'm also concerned about the state of that side of the compound," Marcus continued, undeterred by the conclusions Carlisle and I had drawn. "My ultimate goal was to reclaim this entire facility and continue in our endeavors to prepare what's left of this decimated race for the Blue Shift and either reinhabit this planet or move them off world. But I need the entire compound _intact_-"

"Then we need to get to work," I sighed in defeat. I would _never_ live down my next words. "Emmett's right. We have to act now. We can't afford to wait any longer."

Emmett's answering grin could have illuminated the entire room. He fist-pumped the air excitedly and shouted, "Fuck yeah!"

Over the next hour, we managed to hammer out most of the details. This trip would be a rescue mission as well as a reconnaissance of sorts. Our main objective was to get to Kate and Garrett. The impulsive scientists had taken a wealth of information with them in those research books and, quite frankly, we could not afford for those to fall into the wrong hands. We also needed the astrophysicists in one piece. They were our best chance at getting the bridge to work and their research could continue once we had reclaimed the entire compound. While we were in enemy territory, we planned to gather as much information as possible about James and any companions he may have recruited as well as the status of the brothers. If we happened to capture that bastard, James, alive...well, kudos to us.

I also wanted to ascertain their current level of fire power. Marcus had alluded to some serious weaponry housed in the armory on that side of the compound. I was honestly hoping to get my hands on some of it and disable entry into the armory altogether by anyone other than myself or my team.

While Rosalie, Bella, and Emmett were packing up what we would need, I was currently dealing with an extremely perturbed Jasper.

"I still don't understand why you're taking Marcus but not me." Jasper crossed his arms and huffed loudly, mere moments away from throwing an all-out temper tantrum.

I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration and shook my head. "Jazz, I understand how badly you want to go, but you have to think about my sister and your unborn child. I need you and Carlisle to stay here and protect this side of the facility and these women at all costs."

Jasper reluctantly lowered his head and nodded in submission. "I understand…and don't worry. I'll protect them with my life." He clapped me on the back and pulled me into a brotherly hug. I returned the sentiment, hoping with every fiber of my being that I would complete this mission and make it back without suffering any losses. I was an eternal optimist, even though the odds of that outcome were stacked heavily against us.

We had decided to head out through the back exit in Rachel and take the Humvee around the lake to Edwards Air Force Base. Packed and armed to the teeth, the five of us made our way out the hidden door and back up through the hatch in the floor of the pharmacy where my life had been irrevocably changed some weeks ago.

Bella smiled at me softly, obviously reminiscing about the moment we met and our time in this office. Closing the hatch behind us, we thoroughly scoured the building looking for traces that anyone or anything had entered the establishment since our previous exit.

Finding nothing, we headed out the back door and into the alley between the restaurant and the pharmacy, sticking close to the shadows just in case. I spotted the Humvee and abandoned ambulance up ahead exactly where we had left them. Piling into the Humvee, I was suddenly struck with the eerie feeling of being watched, but looking around I saw nothing out of the ordinary.

I cranked the Humvee and pulled out onto State Highway 375 headed toward Highway 93 around Groom Lake. After roughly ten minutes of smooth sailing, I noticed a dust cloud up ahead and slowed the Humvee to a crawl.

"Ed?" Emmett asked perplexed at my sudden hesitance.

"Emmett, grab the specs and take a look at that dust cloud up ahead. Tell me what you see."

Grabbing the binoculars from the duffel bag at his feet, he looked ahead to the looming cloud and cursed loudly. "Fuck! Looks to be a horde of at least fifty Dreg headed straight for us."

"Dammit!" I shouted, slamming the Humvee into reverse and stomping the gas.

"Edward, wait!" Bella cried out in alarm, causing me to bring the Humvee to a screeching halt, kicking up rocks and sand all around us. "There's another dust cloud coming up fast behind us!"

Grabbing the binoculars from Emmett, I stepped out of the Humvee to get a good look at the cloud approaching from our rear. My heart sank as I spied another huge horde rapidly approaching. Fuck…we were surrounded.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews and alerts! Sorry, sorry, sorry for the last cliffy…okay, maybe not.**

**As always, I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does.**

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><p>EPOV<p>

Fifteen minutes at most. That was all the time we had before the first horde would reach us.

"Where's the map?" I barked as everyone piled out of the Humvee. I handed the binoculars back to Emmett so he could keep an eye on the approaching shit storm. Marcus unfolded our map on the hood, our route already outlined in red.

Stabbing my finger at the small black dot that marked our current location, I trailed it perpendicular to the jagged red line. "We don't have time to go around…" I muttered as alternate scenarios spun in my brain.

"We need to move, Sarge!" Emmett yelled, his gaze never wavering from the looming threat.

"One fucking minute, Emmett!" Turning my attention back to the map, I quickly did the math in my head. Who knew my college professor would be right when he had smugly proclaimed that someday algebra would save my life. Peering over the desert landscape with its huge rock outcroppings and smattering of desert grass and shrubs, I quickly checked the wheel clearance on the Humvee before glancing back in the direction of Groom Lake. My eyes zeroed in on the Jumbled Hills in the distance and I quickly looked back down at the map. Seventeen miles straight shot.

"Eight minutes, Sarge!"

"Fuck!" I roughly tugged at my hair as I turned to face the others. Grabbing the now wrinkled paper, I thrust it back into Marcus' hands. "Alright, we obviously can't backtrack and the horde ahead has Highway 375 blocked. So, we're going off road. Move out!"

Without further instruction, everyone piled back into the Humvee. The last door had barely shut before I hung a hard left through the desert. The terrain was rife with small hills and valleys, making our journey that much tougher, but I had to keep the speed on if we had any hope of maintaining a head start. The girls bounced around like pennies plunking in an empty mason jar, choosing to forgo their seatbelts.

"Sorry, sorry!" I apologized as I hit a rather large crater that sent Bella plunging toward the floor board. Rosalie grabbed her shoulders at the last moment, probably saving her from some rather nasty bruises and a possible concussion.

Emmett promptly pulled weapons from the large duffel at his feet and began checking clips. "What's the deal, Sarge?" he shouted above the roar of the engine. Marcus leaned forward, gripping the back of Emmett's seat, intent on listening as well.

"We're going to cut across to the Jumbled Hills over there!" I answered, taking one hand off the wheel for a split second to point in the direction I was headed. "We were supposed to intersect with Groom Lake Road from Highway 93, and come straight in from the back side, but those fuckers cut us off. We can still get to the main road as it cuts through the hills."

Emmett lowered his passenger window and stuck his head out. "I hope this works, Sarge! That dust cloud's a hell of a lot bigger. I think those two hordes are joining forces and hunting dinner!" His voice barely carried over the whipping wind.

"Yeah, well this tin can won't make it over the foothills. We'll have to abandon the Humvee and hike the three miles over and down to the main road into the base." I knew the Humvee was leaving a trail of dust for the Dreg to follow, but we couldn't outrun them on foot from this far away…especially carrying Marcus.

I maneuvered the best I could over the rocky landscape, trying to take the most direct route to our destination. A hidden slab of bedrock caught me off guard and the Humvee tumbled to the right a bit as we catapulted over the edge, hitting the ground hard.

Marcus lurched to the right and yelped loudly as he came in contact with the Humvee's side panel. "Argh!" he growled though gritted teeth, cradling his right wrist against his chest.

"Daddy!" Bella screamed from my periphery. I held the steering wheel in my hands with a death grip and tried to zigzag around some of the bigger dips to avoid jostling Marcus as much as possible. One more mile…just one more mile.

Emmett twisted slightly in his seat to look at our backseat occupants. "Rosie? Are you alright? Marcus alright?" He words were slightly jumbled as he bounced in his seat.

"I don't…ugh…know! Fuck!" she shouted back as we roughly descended another small hill. Rosalie and Bella toppled against each other like bowling pins.

Eight hundred yards.

The Jumbled Hills loomed large in front of me and a trickle of fear crept down my spine. Maybe I'd made the wrong decision. A quick glance over my shoulder at Bella reaffirmed my resolve. I would do _anything_ for her. Risk it all…even an excruciatingly painful death…for her. She was worth it.

Three hundred yards.

"Em, is that cloud still gaining on us?" I hollered, looking over at my best friend.

Taking another look out the side window, he shouted back, "Yeah Sarge! There's no way we're coming back out this way!"

Two hundred yards.

Thankfully the terrain seemed to be leveling out a bit and I kicked up the speed a notch. "Almost there, almost there," I chanted. Emmett and I wouldn't have any problem with these hills. We had spent many months in the hills of North Korea before the virus outbreak.

Fifty yards.

The Humvee suddenly leaned sharply to the left as a well hidden trough swallowed up our front left tire. I slightly overcorrected and sent us careening out of control. "Hold on!" I shouted as the entire vehicle jerked to the right and flipped onto its side, kicking up dirt and pebbles into our faces. We slid for a good forty feet before we finally came to rest amidst a blizzard of dust.

"Dammit!" I pounded the steering wheel with my fists before pushing my door open. I hoisted myself out and then leaned back in to give Emmett a hand as we had landed on his side of the vehicle. As soon as he has out, I climbed on top of the overturned Humvee and damn near ripped the back door off the frame. "Bella! Are you okay?"

"Think so…" came her mumbled reply. Peering through the mass of jumbled limbs was my angel, seemingly unharmed except for a few bumps and scrapes. She and Rosalie were scrambling to right themselves and Marcus so they could climb from the wreckage.

I reached inside and pulled Rosalie out first as Bella was sandwiched between her and Marcus. Relief surged through me as I wrapped my fingers around Bella's wrist and hauled her up until I could get a grip on her waist, tugging her the rest of the way through the open door.

Marcus was struggling to sit upright; his hand bent at an odd angle, preventing him from gaining the leverage he needed. Bella and I both laid down flat on either side of the door. Reaching in, we each clasped an arm and pulled Marcus from the Humvee.

"We need to go, Sarge," Emmett mumbled as he and Rosalie pulled our bags from the wreckage, passing out weapons as they went.

Looking back at the approaching Dreg horde, I quickly holstered my pistol and tossed the strap of the AK47 over my shoulder.

"Which way?" Bella asked hurriedly as she strapped on her own weapons.

"Straight up and over, angel," I answered, pointing ahead to the rolling hills. We were actually really lucky. The Jumbled Hills mountain range was, in fact, much wider…and taller. But we had come up on the side nearest the base, so we would only have to traverse a few smaller foot hills before we met Groom Lake Road. The dried up lakebed was on the opposite side of the hangars closer to the larger set of mountains. The base itself was abandoned and mostly for show so we didn't have to worry about crossing any checkpoints.

I tossed our one remaining bag over my shoulder as Emmett hoisted Marcus onto his back. Marcus was still one hundred percent human and as such couldn't run and climb as fast as the rest of us, but we needed him with us regardless. Only his handprint would override some of the doors to areas we needed access to, so Marcus was a tag-along.

Emmett readjusted his weapons to accommodate his passenger. "Fuck Marcus, you're next in line for transformation as soon as we make it back to friendly territory."

Rosalie and Bella shared a worried glance before moving toward the first hill. Warning bells sounded in my head at their quick exchange, but I pushed it to the back of my mind. We had to get to that base. "Let's go!" I shouted, taking Bella's hand as we began our ascent.

It was only three linear miles between where we crashed and the gates of the abandoned base, but climbing these fucking hills while watching for Dreg and helping the girls made it feel like a hundred. I thought for sure that we would lose the Dreg in the brush, but they stayed right on course, which could only mean one thing…someone was bleeding.

As we crested the final hill, I looked down to the valley below. "Marcus!" I barked, surveying the landing strip and surrounding buildings. They didn't look very sturdy and would provide minimal protection if we couldn't get to that door right away. "Which building am I looking for?"

Emmett joined me on the hilltop, panting slightly from exertion, with Rosalie right behind him. Bella popped up next to me, shielding her eyes from the sunlight as she looked down over the airfield.

Marcus lifted a trembling hand and pointed toward a long steel hangar, its rounded metal roof glinting in the sun. "That one," he groaned, "Hangar B."

I turned my head back in the direction of the approaching horde. Extending my senses out around me, I found them about three hundred yards back, approaching quickly. "We need to hurry, they aren't far behind." Tugging Bella by the hand, we took off down the mountainside at a dead sprint, pushing through brush and overgrowth while thin branches whipped around us, raising welts where they came in contact with our exposed skin.

The moment our feet met pressed dirt road, we were off like a rocket, finally clear of the Jumbled Hills and racing toward the airfield. As we approached the twenty foot reinforced chain-link fence that surrounded this part of the base, I considered just charging straight through, hoping my strength and speed would be enough to shred the steel links. My brilliant little mate had other ideas. She picked up her pace and then vaulted over the fence, turning a flip mid-air before landing gracefully on the other side.

That little gymnastic stunt stopped me dead in my tracks as I stared at her, slack jawed and drooling. My limber angel was so fucking hot. Her little giggle at my complete ineptitude had me hard as a fucking rock. At this point I could use my dick as a pole vault to get me over that fucking fence.

Having heard my inner ramblings, she giggled again as Emmett and Rosalie finally caught up to me. "Just take a running start and jump, Edward. You'll clear the top…I promise."

"Rosalie first," I motioned, "then Emmett. That way I can give him a boost since he's carrying Marcus. You and Rosalie will be there to help catch him on the other side." I looked behind me to see the first of the Dreg just clearing the bottom of the hill. "Rosalie go! Now!"

Nodding her head, she took a running start and tumbled straight over the fence, landing almost as gracefully as my angel. Emmett shot off right after as I knelt down to one knee with my hands laced together in front of me. Emmett's foot met my netted fingers perfectly and I tossed him over the fence to the other side, where he landed with no assistance needed. Marcus' face was ashen from all the movement and I honestly feared he might pass out before we reached the hangar. Casting another glance over my shoulder I could see at least thirty Dreg clearing the trees. The front runners were only about a hundred yards back.

"Edward, come on!" my angel screamed. "Move your ass!"

Turning back toward the fence, I sped forward, waiting until the last possible second before leaping into the air. My jump was clean, almost like laying up a basketball, as I landed smoothly on the other side. Grabbing Bella once more, we raced toward Hangar B. Halfway to our destination, I heard the sound of flesh hitting metal and the loud groan of straining links. The Dreg had made it to the fence, but weren't attempting to jump over. Instead they just piled into it, trying to claw their way through.

"Do you think the fence will hold?" Emmett asked as we lengthened our strides.

Shaking my head, I replied, "Don't know." I had my doubts. Truthfully, that fence was never designed to withstand this type of barrage; it was constructed more as a deterrent. As we reached the door to Hangar B, I gave one final look back toward the fence to see it bulged inward under the immense pressure of the growing mob. Deep down, I already knew that within an hour this base would be crawling with those fucking things. There wasn't a chance in hell we were coming back out this exit.

The steel side door groaned loudly in protest as I yanked it open, careful not to rip the damn thing from its hinges. I pulled Bella inside the musty hangar, followed closely by Emmett and Rosalie. Sporadic beams of light cut through the inky blackness from various holes and missing panels in the roof, providing a soft glow to the murky interior.

"Over there," Marcus pointed to a small glassed in office on the opposite wall. Jogging over and through the open doorway, I was hit with a feeling of déjà vu. The floor was covered with a ratty rug on top of which a wooden desk sat, unused and discarded. Bella pushed the desk to the side and pulled the rug from the floor, swirling a myriad of dust motes into the air and revealing the hidden metal hatch underneath.

Emmett gingerly lowered Marcus to his feet and quickly ushered him over to the identification panel. Marcus activated the hatch and it slowly slid away, revealing a ladder descending into blackness. "It's identical to the other entrance so there is nothing down there to be frightened of."

Swinging my legs down into the hole, I pulled my pistol from its holster just in case, and slowly climbed down the rungs. As my feet met the grated floor the motion sensor activated, illuminating the empty corridor. I quickly motioned for everyone to move down into the tunnel.

Bella was the last to climb down sealing the hatch behind her. I hadn't heard any noises from above, so I hoped that the fence was still holding. Marcus strode ahead and activated the door, revealing the wide, well-lit corridor on the other side. I pushed Marcus back behind me as Emmett and I advanced into the hallway, weapons drawn. The white walls gleamed at me, in no way depicting the chaotic state that Garrett mentioned.

Marcus pulled a handheld monitor identical to Bella's from his pocket and attached it to his uninjured wrist. Pressing a few buttons, the screen came to life. After a moment of studying the digital map, he pointed down the hallway and to the right, holding up two fingers, signifying that we were to take the second intersecting corridor on the right.

I led us forward, moving quickly but stealthily through the twists and turns as Marcus guided us toward Sector 1. "Marcus, are you picking up anything on that fucking thing?" I questioned as unease blossomed in my gut. "I was under the assumption that there were a lot more scientists and soldiers on this side of the compound, but we've been traipsing around for half an hour without coming across a single person, human or Dreg."

Marcus shook his head and bumped the monitor with his injured hand, hissing through his teeth. "The digital map seems to be functioning, but I'm not picking up any bodies within one hundred feet of our location."

"And you don't think that's odd?" Emmett retorted.

I don't know what to think anymore," Marcus sighed, stumbling behind me.

We continued through the maze for another ten minutes before Marcus put a restraining hand on my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks. He pointed to his wrist at the same moment that I heard a muffled thump from a room at the end of the corridor. "There are eight people in that room," Marcus confirmed, looking down at the monitor.

"People or Dreg?" I whispered.

"People…probably personnel," he answered, his voice full of hope.

"Alright." Inching forward, I took position directly to the right of the small viewing window. A quick glance into the room showed eight men scattered about the small space. A few of them seemed to be in a heated argument, invading one another's personal space and flailing their hands about. A blond haired gentleman in a white lab coat jumped to his feet from his crouched position in the corner, thrusting his body between the quarreling men, his mouth moving furiously as he pointed at the door.

"I need to go in first," Marcus mumbled, having witnessed the same scene. "They'll panic if you go in guns blazing. They don't know you."

"Fine, but I follow right behind you," I acquiesced.

Nodding, Marcus pressed his hand to the identification panel and the door slid away, revealing the haggard group of men inside. "Marcus!" the blond haired scientist cried out, lurching forward as Marcus entered the room only to stumble back as I made my appearance right behind him.

"Yes, William, it's me," Marcus answered with his hands raised, trying to quiet the chaos that had erupted in the room at our sudden appearance. We were bombarded with questions as the scientists rushed forward, excited by Marcus' arrival.

"Quiet!" I hissed, finally raising my gun when my demand was ignored. The pompous bastards eventually realized I meant business and silence ensued.

My attention was drawn back to the doorway as Bella stepped through, her eyes wide with panic. "Edward, listen," she beseeched, holding her finger in the air and turning her eyes toward the ceiling.

I closed my eyes and concentrated, extending my senses while trying to ignore the reverberation from the enclosed space. Groans and grunts…gnashing teeth. Dragging feet and clawing fingers. The foul stench of blood and decay…the Dreg. We were being hunted.

Snapping my head back to Marcus, I grabbed at his uninjured wrist and pulled the monitor up to my face. The device was showing ten Dreg signatures about ninety feet away approaching quickly down this main corridor.

"Everyone get in here and seal the door!" William hissed quietly as he pulled Marcus further into the room. "You'll let those things in here!"

"No, we can't stay here," I disputed, pulling Bella to my side.

"We can't take them with us!" Emmett whispered from outside the door. "How the hell are we supposed to get everyone past those fuckers and get to the lab in one piece?"

"Marcus, how far are we from Garrett and Kate's location?" I asked hurriedly.

"Roughly nine hundred feet," he answered, looking back down at the digital map.

Running the various scenarios in my head, I quickly came to a one conclusion. "Marcus, give Bella the monitor."

He unstrapped the device and handed it off to his daughter. "What do you have in mind?"

I pointed at him and motioned to the rest of the men in the room. "You are all going to stay here while we take care of this. We'll come back for you as soon as it's clear."

"But-"

"No buts, Marcus. Seal this fucking door behind us," I argued, holstering my pistol and unsheathing my knife. I grabbed Bella's hand and pulled her from the room, silently pleased when the door sealed shut behind us without further argument from Marcus.

"What's the plan, Sarge?" Emmett asked, holstering his own gun and withdrawing a large ice pick from his belt loop.

"We hunt."


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Happy New Year! And of course the new year ****wouldn't ****be complete without an epic fail. I'm sorry to anyone who was unable to see Chapter 26. I did delete it and repost in an effort to fix, before I later found out it was a more widespread problem.**

**To Big Fan (Guest), I hope you finally managed to get to Chapter 26. I wanted so badly to reply to you, but I can't reply to a review unless you are logged in. If you have any more problems viewing the chapters, just PM me and I will try to fix the problem as quickly as possible.**

**Okay…so I was totally writing this chapter while watching The Walking Dead marathon that began New Year's Eve. February 8 has never seemed so far away. So this chapter comes with a 'Gory as Fuck' warning. Time to kill some Dreg…**

**As always, I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does.**

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><p>EPOV<p>

We backed down the hallway silently, and tucked into a small alcove.

"Bella, which way are they coming?" I whispered, peering down at my little mate as she studied the digital map attached to her wrist.

"They're moving up the main corridor about forty feet, nearing the bend that will bring them directly into our path…in approximately three minutes." She glanced back up at me with a wrinkle between her brows. "I don't think they've realized we're here yet. They aren't moving very fast."

Nodding, I pulled Bella's long dagger from its harness and pressed it into her hand. "Where are the next two intersecting hallways?"

Dagger in hand, Bella pointed to the left. "Twenty feet down there's a hallway to the left and at another ten feet there's an intersecting corridor to the right."

"Let's pull back and reposition there," I huffed, grabbing Bella and yanking her down the hallway. "Emmett and Rosalie, you take the hallway on the right and Bella and I will take the left."

"I know what you're thinking, Edward, and it won't work the way you want," Bella whispered, pulling me to a stop. "The only reason it worked with those three Dreg on our side was because I was bait-"

"No! Absolutely not!" I hissed. Those images of Bella being tossed around like a limp doll were forever etched into my brain. I had locked them away…convinced myself that the attack wasn't as bad as it had seemed. It was a total fucking lie. One more minute and I would have lost my angel that day.

"Hey…come back to me, Sarge," my angel whispered, her warm palm pressed to my cheek. "I'm here…feel me? I'm okay."

"What about using me as bait?" Rosalie mumbled. "I can move through walls dumbasses."

I felt like I had been slapped in the face with that oversight. "Ah, fuck, that's right. I can't believe I didn't think of that before-"

"I can lure them into one of the other cells, seal the door, and slink back through the wall." Rosalie smirked and shrugged her shoulders. "It's the easiest solution."

"No…no," Emmett interjected, "I'm sick of just locking these fuckers away. Come on, Ed. You watched horror movies back in the day. We lock them up and they get loose and kill everybody but the damn dog."

"Dog? What dog?" Bella asked, completely confused by Emmett's statement.

Snickering in my head, I realized that Emmett was right. We had essentially broken every cliché horror movie rule in the book. Rolling my eyes at Emmett's ridiculous scenario, I squeezed Bella's hand. "I'll explain later, but Emmett has a point. They shouldn't be left alive."

"I can still be the bait," Rosalie surmised. "There's ten, right?"

"For now," Bella answered, looking back down at the monitor as the fuckers lurched closer toward the turn.

"Okay, so we pick them off a few at a time…" Rosalie trailed off.

"Fine," I huffed. We were running out of time. "Bella, you take position at the first intersection, I'll set up at the next corner with Emmett at the last hallway." I sighed heavily, shaking my head. "This is going to get messy," I mumbled under my breath while retrieving the small hatchet from my belt loop. We had some pretty fuck awesome new weaponry, courtesy of Rosalie, but this shit was going to be close contact, which meant we would be going old school…hand to hand combat. Well, maybe more like hatchet to head.

"Let's get this shit done." Emmett looked to Rosalie with raised eyebrows. "You ready?"

Rosalie nodded as the rest of us took our position. With all of us tucked away in our respective nooks, she moved near the mouth of the hallway just as the first Dreg made his appearance. Rosalie spun on her heel and darted back in our direction.

The first pass happened so quickly, that I couldn't keep my attention on anything else other than the Dreg bastard I pulled into my corridor. His blue striped shirt was nearly unrecognizable under the black grime, the oval name tag partially ripped away along with a good chunk of his left shoulder, exposing sinuous tendons. My mind meticulously catalogued each gory detail as the burly fucker swiped his mangle paws at me, fingers curled into bloodied claws.

Grabbing his arm, I twisted him around and smashed his head into the wall, leaving smears of blood and gore on the white surface while his rotten teeth clinked to the floor. The asshole swung blindly backward, clocking me hard in the ear…hitting that honey spot that made my world tilt on its axis. "Fuck!" I spat, shaking my head to try and clear it and regain my equilibrium as I dropped to my knees.

"Edward!" Bella's voice carried through the swarming bees in my head, sending a stake of fear straight through my heart. The mangled face of my opponent loomed above me, his jaw askew from my first blow; the bone exposed as skin sloughed from his face. Rage pulsed through my veins at the thought of my injured mate. Reaching up, I grabbed ahold of his throat right under his chin, ripping through veins and muscle as blood poured down my fingers and wrist. I pulled the creature forward and buried my hatchet into the base of his neck, almost taking his head clean off.

Without further hesitation, I swung around the corner into the main corridor on my way to get to Bella. Blood dripped from the walls in an erratic and horrific wallpaper pattern. Looking over my shoulder, I could see the backs of more Dreg as they moved further down the corridor toward a fleeing Rosalie.

My feet automatically carried me in Bella's direction, grunts and harsh panting coming from her hallway. "No,no,no," I heard her chanting. "Sam's dead, Sam's dead." My ears were still ringing from the blow I took to the head. As I rounded the corner with my hatchet raised in the air, I saw the reason for her remarks. The headless corpse of one Dreg lay on the floor next to her, but another must have wondered up during her struggle. The fucker looming over her was dressed in military fatigues and had striking similarities to Sam. Hell, they could have been brothers.

I was completely frozen by the sight in front of me. My awe inspiring mate was grappling with her demon, one of her hands was wrapped around her assailant's throat and the other was gripping his arm, but the Dreg bastard… he was glowing orange from the inside out. The arm clutched in Bella's grip slowly disintegrated into ash while the greasy hair on top of the Dreg's head erupted in flames. Bella's fingers were also glowing and eventually seared their way through his neck until his head tumbled to the ground. Bella pushed the Dreg's torso off of her and rolled to her feet. My magnificent avenging angel's eyes glowed a brilliant red and her breaths came in short, panic-filled pants as she swayed on her feet. Just how many times was she going to have to kill this fucker before she was free of him?

"Bella?" I approached her cautiously with my hands raised. She eyed the hatchet wearily before her eyes snapped back to mine.

"Are you alright, Edward?" she asked, those beautiful irises finally clearing while she watched blood and gore drip from my hands.

I lurched forward and wrapped my mate in my arms. "Fuck, you scared me," I breathed, pulling her mouth to mine. Finally releasing her, I quickly spun her in a circle, checking her for injuries. Satisfied when I found none, I turned her to face me. "What did you do, Bella? What _was_ that?"

"I-I'm not sure," she mumbled sheepishly. "The spaces are so fucking tight in here. I took care of the first one pretty easily but then this asshole wandered in." Bella kicked the headless torso of the Sam-look-a-like. "I know it sounds crazy, but he looks so much like…Sam-"

"I know, baby…I saw the resemblance." I kissed her little button nose as she looked up at me with weary, remorseful eyes.

"I guess I kind of had a flashback? And that _thing_ got the upper hand. I was just trying to keep it off of me when I called for you, but I got so…_angry_. I just…I just pushed it into him. Burned him up from the inside."

Rosalie suddenly appeared from the room adjacent to our hallway. "You two okay?" she panted, holding her side as she grimaced in pain, blood seeping from between her fingers. I nodded as I eyed her injury.

"Rosie!" Bella rushed forward and pulled her sister into a fierce hug. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah…sure," Rosalie replied and squeezed her sister's hand for reassurance. "This'll heal pretty fast. You know the drill, Bells."

"So are we ready for the next pass?" I asked absently while I tried to wipe the blood from my fingers and the handle of my hatchet. I didn't even notice the smirk on Rosalie's face until her exaggerated silence caught my attention.

"No need," she finally chuckled with her arms crossed in front of her.

"They're all dead?" Bella quipped.

"Well, you took out two, Bells. Axward here took out one. Emmett took out two and I took out one-"

"That still leaves four to contend with, Rosalie." I snorted at her egregious subtraction error.

She shoved me hard in the center of my chest and chuckled. "I'm a genius, idiot…I _can_ add and subtract!"

"Could've fooled me…" I mumbled, earning me a smack from both Rosalie and my little mate. "So where are the other four then?"

"Locked in one of the cells. Emmett's in there with them-"

"What!" Bella and I both shouted. Grabbing Bella's hand, I sprinted down the hall in Emmett's direction with Rosalie shouting behind me. The bitch had obviously lost her fucking mind. I followed the loud thumps down the corridor, praying that my best friend was still alive and in one piece. I quickly found the cell he was in, passing by the observation window on my way to the door.

Bella yanked on my hand and pulled me to an immediate halt, almost landing me on my ass in the middle of the hallway. "Edward, stop! Look!"

As I peered through the window, I rubbed my eyes…not really believing what I was seeing.

"That's what I was trying to tell you, dipshit," Rosalie chuckled as she rounded the corner and came to stand next to Bella and me, our jaws hanging open at the spectacle before us. "Emmett's ability has finally reared its ugly head." She looked through the window and snorted, shaking her head slightly. "Alice has no idea what's coming for her."

Inside that cell, there were two pulverized Dreg bodies lying in the center of the room. They were so decimated, I couldn't tell which parts belonged to which creature. Emmett stood at the far left side of the room with his beefy arms raised in the air, flapping them together like a clapping seal. At the opposite end of the room were the remaining two Dreg. I watched in amazement as the two creatures bashed together, almost as if they were some sick form of puppets, and Emmett…he was the puppeteer.

"It would appear that Emmett is a telekinetic…a big one," Rosalie proclaimed proudly with a look of awe on her face as Emmett proceeded to smash the Dreg to pulp.

The window was splashed with entrails and my angel quickly covered her mouth as she dry heaved against her hand. "Oh God," I gulped loudly, "that room will never be clean again." For his grand finale, Emmett thrust his arms out to his sides and the Dreg flew to opposite sides of the room, hitting the wall with a wet thump. That was the last straw for my little mate and she promptly lurched toward the corner of the hallway and emptied the contents of her stomach.

"Shit," I mumbled as I rushed to Bella's side. I held her hair back away from her face and rubbed soothing circles on her back, trying to calm her as best I could. "Bella…baby? Are you okay?" She nodded weakly at my question. "We need to go, sweetheart. Do you see anything on the monitor?"

My angel discreetly spat and wiped her mouth, her breathing steady as she straightened back up. She mopped the sweat from her forehead and then checked the monitor on her wrist. "We're clear."

Emmett emerged from the cell and fist pumped the air. "Did you see me, Rosie? Did you see me?" He rushed over and swept Rosalie up into a great big bear hug, swinging her around in a circle as he lifted her off her feet. She giggled while he growled at her playfully. "Who's in charge _now_, sweetcheeks?" He grabbed a fistful of her ass and proceeded to devour her mouth in a heated kiss.

"Oh God, I think I'm going to be sick again," Bella whispered as she watched her sister be mauled by my best friend.

Chuckling, I pulled Bella back in the direction of the cell where we left Marcus and the others. "Come on love birds, we have work to do," I threw back over my shoulder as I passed by Emmett and Rosalie. Looking down at Bella, I snickered. "And Emmett said we were exhibitionists? They're about to fuck in the hallway!"

"Oh come on!" Emmett bellowed, releasing Rosalie from his grip. "You have to admit that was fucking cool! I can't wait to toss Short Shit-"

I turned back toward Emmett and leveled him with a heated glare. "Hey! That's my sister you're bitching about and don't forget she's fucking pregnant. You won't be tossing her anywhere." My anger flared at Emmett's mischievous intentions. While I don't think he would ever hurt Pix on purpose, he has been known to take his little pranks too far.

"Sorry, Sarge," Emmett mumbled in apology. "No tossing the knocked up pixie. Got it."

I continued to lead Bella back down the main corridor. I should have asked her for an alternate route considering her face got greener and greener as we passed through the aftermath of our clash with the Dreg. For a second time today, warning bells sounded in my head.

We were all used to the Dreg's appearance. The fever did something to these people…made them half alive and half dead. When they were wounded, they didn't bleed out and die; their bodies were able to keep going. Couple that with their new cannibalistic diet and these people were literally _rotting_ from the inside out. Bella had been attacked by the Dreg before, seen what they were capable of…even killed a few herself. So this level of gore should be no real surprise to her nor have I ever seen her be physically ill at the sight.

I gently pulled Bella to a stop and turned her to face me. Her face was ghostly pale and sweat beaded on her forehead. Running my hand along her hairline, I couldn't detect a fever, but her normally luminescent skin felt clammy to the touch. "Baby, are you really okay?" I asked her, my voice wavering slightly with concern for my little mate.

"Yeah, I'm okay…" she hesitated as her eyes drifted back to the random blood splatters on the wall. "Just…um…not taking too well to this level of _carnage_. Plus my encounter with the Sam clone earlier has made my stomach turn." Her eyes pleaded for understanding as she stared at me.

_I'm fine, Edward…I promise._

Nodding in surrender, I really had no choice but to trust that she would tell me if something were really wrong. Linking our fingers back together, we made our way back to the cell that housed Marcus. I tapped on the glass of the observation window, motioning for Marcus to engage the door. The look of relief on his face was palpable.

Marcus rushed through the open door and pulled first Bella and then Rosalie into his arms. "Oh, thank God," he breathed. "You were gone so long."

"Yes, well, we had some interesting _developments_," I explained, trying to ease his anxiety. I looked around the room, suddenly leery of the other occupants, and lowered my voice so only Marcus could hear. "It seems Emmett's ability has manifested itself."

Startled by my revelation, Marcus looked from me to Emmett and back to me, silently warning me of too many ears in the immediate vicinity. I nodded in understanding; we would address Emmett's crazy ass ability when there weren't so many fucking people around.

"We need to go," Marcus urged. "I have filled everyone here in on the situation with James and the Dreg. No one seems to trust this James character, but he does have some loyal military followers. They are holding some of my staff to work on experiments."

"We're not taking everyone with us to the br…er…that place…to which we are going, are we?" I wanted to smack Emmett upside the head for almost revealing where we were headed. I would have too if I wasn't afraid he would sling me into the wall. Emmett as a fucking telekinetic. God must really hate me.

Marcus pointed to the blond haired scientist and another gentleman with olive skin and black hair. Thick, wire framed glasses sat low on his nose and his lips moved slightly, almost like he was carrying on a conversation with himself under his breath. "William and Eric are coming with us, but I have instructed the others to return to their quarters and seal themselves inside until I send word that all is clear." Marcus may have worked closely with these people at one point in time, but that didn't mean that I trusted them.

"Fine. Let's go," I instructed, casting another worried glance at Bella. Her chalky pallor looked no better than it did five minutes ago. My anxiety ratcheted up another notch.

We crept silently through the corridors with Bella and me in the lead and Emmett pulling up the rear, keeping our eyes peeled for any further obstacles. When we finally reached the door to the lab that contained the bridge, I immediately noticed the blood spatters on the floor and walls but found no Dreg bodies to speak of. I expected to at least come across some stragglers, but maybe the group that came after us was the same group that attacked Garrett and Kate.

Marcus stepped forward and placed his palm on the identification panel, engaging the door. We quickly made our way inside the dimly lit room and sealed the door behind us. It took a few moments for my eyes to adjust to the low lighting of the room, so I couldn't immediately locate Kate and Garrett. As my eyes refocused, I noticed various pieces of hi-tech equipment scattered about the lab; none of which I would be even remotely capable of comprehending.

I moved us further into the room, my eyes scanning every nook and cranny for the rogue scientists. "Garrett? Kate?" I hissed, trying not to make too much noise or disclose our location just in case we weren't alone in this room. A sudden whirring sound caught my attention as electricity crackled in the air.

"What the fuck is that?" Emmett asked to no one in particular, his voice barely carrying over the escalating whining noise.

"Oh God! The bridge has been engaged!" Marcus shouted as he rushed toward a set of metal stairs leading up to a grated catwalk. "Garret, stop!"

A warm blue light suddenly filled my vision, blinding me completely. My mind was rendered blank, only conscious of the feeling of my little mate's hand squeezed tightly in mine.


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Hey guys! Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts, and favorites! I'm so glad you are all enjoying my little story. I know there is a lot going on and we still haven't heard from James…but there's a reason. I promise.**

**As always, I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does.**

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><p>EPOV<p>

Just as quickly as it came, the blue light dissipated around us. My senses gradually returned and I had to blink hard several times before my vision cleared enough so that I could get a good view of my surroundings. Recognizing that we were indeed still in the lab and not on some distant alien planet, I quickly pulled Bella into my arms. More than anything, I just needed to make sure she was still here with me. Looking down at her angelic face, I noticed the same look of confusion, as if she hadn't quite gotten her bearings back.

"You okay, baby?" I asked cupping her face. She looked marginally better than she did before we entered the lab…but _just_ marginally. Something was definitely wrong and we would be addressing it later.

"I think so?" her answer came out sounding more like a question. She pulled her hand from my grasp and wiggled all ten of her fingers before looking down at her feet, presumably wiggling her toes inside her sneakers as well. "I think I'm intact. Just a little…disoriented."

"Disoriented doesn't even begin to cover that mind fuck," Emmett proclaimed from behind me. He pulled an equally confused Rosalie behind him. "What the hell _was_ that?"

My head snapped up and to the right as a stern voice wafted down to us from above. Marcus was clearly incensed about something. "Goddammit, Garrett! Do you know what could have happened just now? Do you even understand the ramifications?" I watched as Marcus descended the metal staircase with Garrett hot on his heels.

"It was only a test, Marcus," Garrett retorted, pleading his case. "We needed to know if the doorway would even open. Now we know-"

"Jesus, Garrett! You don't get it do you!" Marcus reached the bottom of the steps, his face a furious shade of red as he continued to cradle his injured wrist. Had he not been hurt, I think Marcus would have laid Garrett out with one solid punch. "You're opening a dimensional doorway! You don't just test that on a whim! And alone…just you and Kate…with no support team!"

"Daddy, is everything okay? Are we safe here?" Bella whimpered with her arms outstretched toward her father. Marcus seemed startled by her sudden insecurity and gently pulled her under his good arm while giving me a sidelong glance. I could tell that he knew something was wrong with Bella as well, but he was hesitant to mention it.

Marcus closed his eyes and breathed deeply through his nose, trying to regain his composure. Looking back down at his beloved daughter, he squeezed her gently. "Everything is alright, sweetheart. Garrett wanted to test his new equations and coordinates and the only way to do it effectively was to engage the bridge. There was no reason to panic and we were never in any danger. I overreacted and I'm sorry I scared you." He kissed her temple before releasing her back to me.

As I wrapped her back up in my arms, I watched Marcus carefully. The stark fear in his eyes told me that not everything he said to Bella was the truth. Not wanting to worry my little mate any further given her erratic behavior and weakened condition, I elected to try and address his concerns later. Right now, I really needed to lock down this lab and reassess our situation.

My military training kicked in and I began doling out tasks. "Rosalie, make sure we're sealed up in here nice and tight. I don't want anyone coming in unannounced. Then take a look at that security camera and see if we can get it working again. I want contact with Jasper and Carlisle." I looked to my best friend as he stood at attention, awaiting my orders. "Emmett, secure the perimeter of this room, above and below, and I want a head count."

"What do you want me to do?" Bella asked as Emmett and Rosalie scurried off to complete their assignments.

Footsteps descending the metal staircase alerted me to Kate's presence. Her face was blotchy and her eyes were red and swollen; a true tear-stained face if I had ever seen one. Pulling Bella in Kate's direction, I whispered, "Kate lost a good friend in Ben and is still visibly upset." My angel looked at Kate compassionately before turning back to me. "Do you think you could sit with her for a bit and keep her company? I'm sure she could use a shoulder to cry on right about now."

Bella nodded and approached Kate, pulling her into a warm hug as Kate broke down into fresh sobs. They stumbled toward a nearby table and took a seat; heads bowed toward one another as they whispered softly, wrapped up in their own little bubble. With Bella currently distracted, maybe I could get a few uninterrupted minutes with Marcus.

Looking around, I noticed Garrett had slithered his way back over toward a large control panel while no one was paying attention. "Garrett!" My loud retort caused the poor man to jump in surprise and clutch at his chest.

"Yes Edward?" he replied as he visibly tried to slow his heart rate.

"Turn every machine off…now." I knew in my heart that Garrett meant well with this little excursion, but I needed to speak with Marcus before I let him carry on in any further exploits.

"But-"

"No buts, Garrett. Turn them off or I will, and I can assure you that I wouldn't know the off button from the self-destruct button…if you catch my drift." Garrett's head bobbed up and down as if attached to his neck by a spring. He quickly rushed around the lab shutting down all of the equipment.

My eyes scanned the room before landing on Marcus. As he met my gaze, I tipped my head to the side, silently requesting an audience with him away from the others. I grabbed a first aid kit hanging from the wall as he joined me at one of the lab tables on the far side of the room. We sat down across from one another while I pulled out some gauze along with a reinforced wrist splint. "I'm not going to beat around the bush here, Marcus. I need answers and I need them pretty damn quick. Now what the fuck happened? What was that blue light? And why do I get the distinct impression that you lied to Bella about our status here in this lab?"

Marcus lowered his head and stared at the hand I was currently wrapping. "The blue light you saw was from the other side of the activated bridge. The bridge is a doorway just like any other. In order to get from one side of the doorway to the other, you must actually step through."

"So we weren't in danger of being sucked through the portal and deposited on an alien planet which may or may not have had breathable oxygen?"

"Not…technically," Marcus responded reluctantly. He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "See, everyone thinks the universe is this huge near-empty space. That couldn't be further from the truth." His voice began to rise as he spoke more animatedly. "There are an infinite number of foreign bodies out there! Planets, stars, asteroids…black holes. All _moving_ objects."

I slowly started to comprehend where Marcus was headed with this line of thinking, and I had to admit I was suddenly terrified. Astrophysics was way outside of my comfort zone.

"The premise behind the bridge is that every planetary body has a fixed coordinate in space. These coordinates are all reliant on time as well as position. It's like a scale on a map. Our equipment isn't capable of holding the number capacity to represent coordinates mile for mile into deep space, so we have to use a scale. Except, for us, each coordinate degree could be into the tens of millions of miles. In order to get the position absolutely right, we also have to account for _time_, and that's counted in light years, not minutes or hours-"

"Marcus, please…" I pleaded, dropping my head into my hands while I silently begged for him to cease the barrage of information. My temples pounded as I remembered back to my loathed high school Physics class and the answer on my final exam that earned me a D-.

Distance x Rate of Acceleration / Final Velocity = Who Understands This Fucking Shit?

"My apologies, Edward. I tend to get carried away with all things Science. But tell me Sergeant, what do you think would happen if Garrett got his coordinates wrong, perhaps connecting with a black hole instead? Hmm?"

Holy fuck. "Are you saying that if we get this wrong, we could destroy our own planet?" My heart rate sped at the mere thought of the chaos we could wreak on our world's inhabitants. "Jesus, Marcus, is this research safe to continue?" My panic must have been clear on my face as Marcus gave me a pained look.

"It's alright, son, please calm down," Marcus whispered as he tried to assuage my fears and avert the all-out panic attack threatening to invade our conversation. "As I said before, it is a doorway that must be traversed. I could not say with any certainty what would happen in the event that our bridge connected with a black hole, nor do I ever want to find out. I was angry with Garrett for attempting to activate the bridge on his own. The results could have been…disastrous."

"But they weren't disastrous, were they?" My eyes narrowed as a sheepish grin appeared on Marcus' face.

"No," he whispered excitedly. "They definitely weren't. As a matter of fact, after examining the readout, I believe Garrett has indeed gotten the math right."

My eyes widened at his revelation. "You mean…that blue light…"

"Yes," he interrupted. "I have every reason to believe that the blue light was from Arion, Didyme's home world."

"But humans that haven't undergone the transformation can't survive on her planet. We already know this!" I hissed. "So Garrett and Kate-"

Marcus held up his hands to halt my angry rant. "It's an open doorway, Edward. You can see into the next room through an open doorway correct? It doesn't mean that you are actually in the next room."

"Ah hell, Marcus," I huffed in annoyance. "I know I'm no fucking scientist, but even I know it can't all be as simple as that."

"You're right," he responded. "It's not that simple, but please trust me when I say that we have security provisions in place to prevent any causality from the active bridge."

"Fair enough," I replied, content with his explanation. As I rose to leave the table, Marcus stopped me.

"Wait, Edward, please…tell me what's wrong with my daughter," he beseeched with worry etched in the lines of his face.

I sat back down heavily in the chair and blew out a long gust of air. "I don't really know," I started, running a hand through my hair. "Earlier in the main corridor, one of the Dreg that she killed…he looked a lot like Sam. She said she had a flashback." I shook my head, wishing that was the cause of my angel's sudden ailment, but I really didn't think so. "I'll admit that the skirmish was a tad…gory, but nothing that she hadn't seen before. And yet, it made her physically ill-"

"She was sick? Vomiting?" Marcus questioned with a knowing gleam in his eye as I confirmed his question with a short nod of my head. "Hmm, I'll have to address this with her mother, but I don't want you to worry. She will be fine, I assure you."

"So you know what's causing this? You're certain?" I asked, somewhat taken aback by his flippant change in attitude.

Marcus chuckled at my question. "Son, I'm a scientist. We don't believe in certainty," he mused while clapping me on the shoulder with his good hand. "My daughters have experienced enormous changes is the past few weeks. Cut them a little slack, it's probably just stress."

Realizing that I was getting no further information from Marcus in regards to Bella, I nodded my head in agreement. Stress, my ass. I didn't believe him for one second. I was resolved to speak with Didyme myself the moment we got back. I looked over at my angel longingly. If anything ever happened to her, I would simply cease to exist. As if she could sense my eyes on her, she looked up and met my gaze, gracing me with a beautiful soft smile. From over her shoulder, I watched as Emmett jogged toward us.

"The perimeter's secure," Emmett stated proudly. "Besides the main door we came in through, there is one other door in the back…and emergency exit. Rosalie has secured that door as well. She's still working on the security camera though. When Simmons disabled the camera feeds on this side of the compound, he really fucked up the wiring." Sadness filled his eyes as he looked back over his shoulder toward the covered body on the floor against the far wall. "Ben is a confirmed casualty."

We all lowered our heads for a moment in remembrance of a kind man and brilliant scientist, silently thanking him for his sacrifice. Marcus finally looked at Emmett and patted the chair next to him. "Please come sit, Emmett. I have questions."

Rolling his eyes, Emmett plopped down in the chair next to Marcus. "You always have questions, doc. What can I do for you?"

"Edward tells me your ability has finally manifested itself. Pray tell, what new trick have you learned?" Marcus inquired, raising his eyebrows inquisitively.

Emmett rubbed his hands together and leaned forward in his chair with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. I raised my hand in warning as my eyes quickly surveyed everyone in our immediate vicinity. "Keep it small, Emmett," I whispered, eyeing the two new additions to our merry little group. They both seemed absorbed in their own conversation, but I didn't want Emmett's stunts to draw any unwanted attention.

"You're no fun…" Emmett grumbled under his breath. With his hands lying flat against the table surface, he slowly raised two fingers on his right hand. Immediately the first aid kit situated in the center of the table rose into the air about six inches, where it hovered for a moment until Emmett lowered it back to the table.

"Telekinesis?" Marcus murmured in amazement. Emmett and I both nodded in response. "Is it just small items you can move?"

I elected to field this question. "Not hardly," I snorted. "He took on four Dreg by himself. He literally pulverized them, bashing them together until they were pulp…from thirty feet away."

"Oh my," Marcus marveled. "Emmett…a warning-"

"Yeah, yeah…with great power comes great responsibility…yada yada yada. Rosie already gave me the Spider Man speech, thank you very much." Emmett crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned back in his chair, pouting like a two year old.

Marcus chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "Actually, I was going to say…don't play in the labs."

"Sweet!" Emmett jumped up from his chair and went to help Rosalie with the surveillance camera.

Marcus smirked at me while running his hand through his salt and pepper hair. "Emmett's a telekinetic...I wonder what I did in a past life to deserve that level of punishment. I see lots of broken…everything…in my future."

"That's what I said!" I snickered, but my jovial mood deteriorated quickly as I spied William and Eric conferring through hushed whispers in the corner. "Okay, Marcus, our objective in coming to this side of the compound was to retrieve Garrett and Kate and their research as well as poke around a bit. Maybe observe some of the scientists and get some intel on James. Then get back out the way we came in." I hung my head as I thought back to the wrecked Humvee and the mass of Dreg that were sure to be roaming the airfield by now. "Most of that plan has been shot to hell, so we need to come up with a new one. There's no way we're getting out of this compound the way we came in. Not only would we have to wade through a sea of Dreg, but we've also lost our mode of transportation."

Marcus sighed wearily. "I don't think it's plausible for us to make it back to our side of the compound without going unnoticed. If we can't go topside, then I'm not sure what our options are. This is more your department, I'm afraid."

"Alright, then can I ask why we brought William and Eric along?" I asked, grasping for any idea that may aid me in formulating a new plan.

"Pure selfishness, I suppose." Marcus glanced at the two scientists before turning back to me, lacing his fingers together in front of him. "First and foremost, they're good people and even better friends. I trust them. Second, William is world renowned for his work on extrasensory abilities as they are derived from human physiology and Eric is a technological genius. The contraptions that man comes up with boggles the mind. I want them with us because I think their combined expertise could be extremely valuable."

I pondered the possibilities, carefully weighing the pros and cons. To take on the well-being and safety of another two humans without a concrete escape plan was daunting, but their presence could prove extremely rewarding. "Alright, we take them back with us. Providing I can get us back at all."

"Goddammit!" Rosalie cried out from atop the stepladder. "Why won't this fucking piece of shit camera work?"

"Mind if I take a look?" Eric asked as he shuffled toward Rosalie, an odd scuffling sound punctuating each step. Looking closer, I noticed the hem on his pants were at least three inches too long and his shirt seemed too big for his wiry frame. Scientist were fucking weird. The man was a genius, but failed to buy the correct size clothing.

Eric slowly climbed the ladder and appraised the busted camera before asking for a paperclip and a pencil eraser. After a few more moments of fiddling, the green light on the camera finally blinked on, renewing my sense of hope with its constant green glow. "There, that should do it," Eric proclaimed as he descended the stepladder.

"Fucking finally," I sighed as I shoved away from the table and took Eric's place in front of the camera. "Jasper, Carlisle…I really hope you guys are still monitoring this camera like Marcus requested. We found Garrett and Kate, but Ben died before we could get here. Everyone else is fine. I'm sure you have all been worried by the lack of communication, but we had some issues in getting here. The Humvee is dead in the water and our radio was trashed in the wreckage. We're heavy two additional scientists and our escape route is swarming with Dreg, so we're going to have to come up with another escape plan-"

"Maybe I can help with that," a familiar voice sounded from behind me.

My head whipped around so fast that I lost my balance and tumbled to the hard floor, landing in a heap at the feet of the woman I considered to be my adoptive mother.

"Esme?"


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: Esme's awesome, yeah? I can't wait to reveal what the others will be able to do. We'll get there. You guys have so many theories. Again, thank you so much for the reviews, rec's, and favorites.**

**As always, I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does.**

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><p>EPOV<p>

What. The. Fuck.

I must have hit my head when I fell off the stepladder. That was the only explanation for my all too realistic hallucination. It simply wasn't possible for Esme to be standing over me, smirking, with her hand outstretched toward me.

Closing my eyes, I shook my head and breathed deeply for a moment before opening my eyes again. Esme was still there, that devious smirk still gracing her lovely face. She chuckled lightly before bending down and grasping my forearm, hauling me off the floor. My eyes wandered around the room, taking note of everyone else's stunned expressions.

Ha! So I wasn't the only one! "Esme? What…how…I don't…"

Esme giggled at my baffled expression and incoherent ramblings while she patted my shoulder reassuringly. "Yeah, I know. It's ridiculous right? So apparently I can teleport." She looked around at the rest of our family, but eyed the newcomers suspiciously.

Dammit.

I hadn't really wanted them to know the extent of our abilities, but Esme couldn't have known that. Which brought me to another train of thought that I would be exploring with her away from prying eyes. I looked over at my bewildered little mate and willed her to hear me.

_Bella, I need you and Emmett to distract Eric and William so that I can speak with Esme privately._

Her head snapped in my direction and she nodded imperceptibly before heading toward the two whispering scientists. As she conversed in hushed tones, I took the opportunity to lead Esme and Marcus over to a secluded corner. "Okay, I'll be blunt. Marcus, I don't trust your friends and I don't want to discuss the specifics of our abilities around them."

"Edward-"

I raised my hand at his protest. "Marcus, I understand…I do. But I have to think about our family first. I'm not saying we shove them out the door. I just don't want to divulge anything further in regards to our abilities until I have a chance to _assess_ them, if you know what I mean."

Marcus looked as if he were going to argue further, but finally relented, running a hand through his hair as he nodded in acquiesce. He then turned his attention to Esme. "So, when did this happen, dear one?"

"Not long after you all set out, actually," she replied with an amused smile and a slight blush on her beautiful face. "I was in the kitchen with Alice. I remember wondering where Carlisle had disappeared off to…and suddenly I was standing next to him…in the bathroom."

I guffawed loudly as I thought of Carlisle perched on his porcelain throne handling business when his mate suddenly materialized right next to him. Fucking hell. Talk about embarrassing.

"So you don't teleport to a _place_, but to a _person_?" Marcus asked, clearly intrigued by the notion.

"Exactly," she grinned. "Although there's a catch. I need to know the person…have a feeling for them. Each individual seems to have their own…I don't know. Tenor or aura, I guess? It's that _feeling_ that I latch onto in order to pull me to them."

"Hmm," Marcus mused as his eyes danced with anticipation. "That _is_ an interesting development."

Esme chuckled at Marcus' enthusiasm. "But that's not even the best part! It seems I can also move people with me, but only one at a time. Two proved to be too taxing on me. I made several successful attempts before you finally got that camera to work. As soon as Edward said that the back entrance was unusable and the Humvee was wrecked, I knew what I had to do. I closed my eyes and concentrated on Edward and…poof! Here I am!"

The implications of Esme's ability were astounding. Not only could she take us all back to our side of the compound…albeit one at a time, but there was also the potential to move instantaneously throughout the entire compound, depending on who was positioned where. That sobering thought brought me up short.

"Wait, Esme…could you find James?" I gasped, suddenly giddy at the image of Esme dragging James back to our side of the compound so I could torture the fucker properly before killing him.

She diverted her gaze to the floor and sighed wistfully. "No," she mumbled. "I can only get a read on people I've come in contact with _after_ my transformation. I'm sorry. I did try, but I can't get a solid feeling of him. Even now on this side of the compound, every time I try to sense him, I get the oddest sensation. Like he's _everywhere_…I can't nail down a location."

Well that fucking sucked. I couldn't help my disappointment. "Marcus? Mine and Bella's abilities have intensified over time. Is it possible that Esme's will as well?"

"I could almost say with certainty that her ability will increase given enough time…and practice," Marcus replied.

"Excellent!" Esme and I proclaimed at the same time, giggling like school girls.

"Marcus, I don't want to remain here much longer," I sighed, my jovial mood evaporating like morning mist. "I want to speak to Eric and William and then I want to take Rose on a reconnaissance run. Afterwards, we will secure this room and return to our side of the compound. Does Rosalie have admittance to the armory?"

"Yes, her handprint will gain you access. I'll go speak with her." Marcus strode toward where Rosalie and Emmett were quietly studying one of the instrument panels.

Esme looked at me with worried eyes. Tilting her head toward the two scientist still absorbed in conversation with my angel, she asked, "So what's up with those two?"

"Not sure," I mumbled. "Marcus said their areas of expertise could be valuable to us, but I don't trust them."

"So I presume you haven't done your Vulcan mind meld on them yet?"

My eyes narrowed as I took in her shaking form. "Star Trek jokes…funny." Her laughter bubbled up inside of her, overflowing like a shaken soda bottle. "No, I haven't had a chance to speak with them _in depth_ yet. I was headed that way now if you want to join us."

"Sure." She shrugged, her giggles finally subsiding, and interlaced her arm with mine as we made our way over to William and Eric.

I untangled myself from Esme and wrapped Bella in my arms. "Hey angel," I purred. "Have a nice chat?"

Bella nodded slowly, her eyes trained on my lips. I leaned down and captured her mouth with mine, my tongue teasing. Her taste…fucking exquisite. It had been way too long since I had been buried inside my little mate. A problem I intended to rectify the moment I had her safely back on our side of the compound. By the spark in her eyes, I could tell she felt the same.

I looked over Bella's shoulder at a smirking William and a seemingly bored Eric. "Let's sit for a moment, gentlemen. Marcus is discussing our next move with Rosalie and Emmett and will fill us all in shortly." I led Bella over to a nearby table and pulled out a chair. I took my seat and plopped Bella into my lap while Esme perched herself to my right. William and Eric sat directly across from me, watching all three of us speculatively.

"You both know my Bella already, but my name is Edward and this is Esme," I stated motioning to my right.

"Pleasure to meet you both," William smiled genuinely. "My name is William Harris and this is Eric Yorkie. I am a biophysicist and Eric here is an engineer in advanced weaponry."

William and I chatted amicably for a few minutes, while Eric mostly kept quiet. I began with William, the invisible tentacles reaching into his mind…into his memories. "Have you seen James?" I asked in hopes of bringing something useful to the surface. I had a tendency to lose myself in memories that weren't pertinent and I needed to get in and out quick so that no one noticed anything was amiss. The room morphed into a corridor outside of a cafeteria I had never seen before.

_As I peeked around the corner, I saw James in the center of a throng of military personnel, all armed to the teeth, their weapons trained on two men. One I didn't recognize, but the other was a scared shitless Eric Yorkie. _

_James circled the cowering men holding some sort of silver device, tossing it deftly from one hand to the other. It resembled a gun, but had a thick needle protruding from what would be the barrel. "So Yorkie, you really think this device will work on the Dreg?"_

_"__Y-yes s-s-sir," Eric sniveled. "T-the chip is s-small…undetectable. It will g-give you complete c-control."_

_"__Well, let's test that theory, shall we?" James roughly grabbed Eric by the back of the head and slammed him to the floor, kneeling over him. Eric struggled uselessly, screaming and pleading for help as James jabbed the needle into the back of Eric's neck. James quickly sat up and fiddled with a device strapped to his wrist. Eric immediately stopped thrashing. James rose to his feet and watched Eric closely, still unmoving on the floor. _

_"__Stand up Yorkie," James commanded, while keeping his eyes trained on the device attached to his wrist._

_Eric wordlessly complied and rose to his feet. His stance was rigid, awaiting further instruction. _

_"__Hmm, guess you were right, Yorkie," James chuckled. He then leaned in close and whispered something unintelligible into Eric's ear. The young scientist shook his head lightly and slowly began to come back to himself._

_"__Yes sir," Eric mumbled almost too low for me to hear. "The chip is small and undetectable. You will have full control over whomever or whatever you inject. The monitor on your wrist will allow you to give orders without being in the same room. I'm sorry, but there is simply no way to determine how effective it will be on those creatures without simply testing it."_

_"__How will I know what is going on if I am not in the room?" James asked._

_"__The monitor will allow you to see and hear everything the host observes," Eric replied. "By pressing the small button at the bottom, you can change from one host to another, like changing camera views."_

_"__Thank you, Yorkie," James smirked._

_It was eerie…Eric seemed to be completely unaware of the events forced upon him five minutes ago. _

"…and he's a stark raving lunatic if you ask me. I tried my best to steer clear of him altogether," William concluded as he cut his eyes toward Eric. Bella squeezed my hand reassuringly.

"How about you, Eric?" I asked as my mind extended toward his. Eric began to speak robotically and I waited for the inevitable descent into his memories. And…nothing. The room didn't fade away and I stayed planted firmly in the present. I tried again…concentrating harder, but to no avail. It was almost as if Eric's mind wasn't here.

Fuck.

_Bella? Eric isn't Eric. I need to go speak with Marcus…now. Can you distract him again?_

She shot a quick glance in my direction, clearly alarmed, before masking her anxiety while nodding minutely. "Excuse me for a just a moment," I interrupted, trying my best to appear nonchalant so as not to raise concern among Eric or William.

I rose from my seat, depositing Bella in my vacated chair, and calmly approached Marcus. He looked hopeful for a moment, but his expression soon changed as he took notice of the anger in my eyes.

"I take it you gleaned some information that could be detrimental to us?" Marcus asked as he ran his hand through his hair, a nervous compulsion that we seemed to have in common.

With my own fingers pulling harshly at the mop of hair on my head, I relayed the memory from William and the lack of transmission from Eric. Marcus quickly reached the same conclusion as me…that Eric was still under James' control and that we were probably being spied upon at this very moment.

"I'm sorry, Marcus, but it isn't safe to take Eric back with us," I sighed, shaking my head.

"Alright, I have an idea," Emmett piped in. "I say we leave Eric here. Knock him out and leave him somewhere the guards are bound to find him. That way Esme can teleport straight back to this side if need be. She's met Eric now, so she should be able to find him easily."

I clapped Emmett on the shoulder. "I agree. He could prove useful later, especially since James probably hasn't figured out what we know yet. We could stage an accident and make it seem like we had to leave Eric behind."

"We still need to go to the armory, Edward," Rosalie commented. "And we should probably go quickly so we can get the fuck back to our side of the compound as soon as possible."

As Rosalie prepared for our departure, I quickly went over a plan with Emmett to incapacitate Eric while we were gone. I was with Rosalie on this one. We couldn't get back to our side of the compound soon enough.

Rosalie and I took the most direct path to the armory, which thankfully was only about five hundred yards away. We filled our bags with everything we could possibly carry and then Rosalie engaged the door from the inside, ensuring no one but her or Marcus could gain entry. Then she pulled me and our bounty through the wall and we were soon back on our way. We managed not to run into any other security or personnel, but did find a large group of Dreg roaming the halls. Thankfully we passed behind them and they never saw us. We arrived back at the lab to find only Emmett, William, and Marcus inside. Seeing my confusion at Bella's absence, Emmett quickly filled me in.

"Esme began transporting people back to our side. I've already taken care of Eric. He's unconscious in one of the cells. A fine performance if I do say so myself," he chuckled.

Said chauffeur suddenly materialized right next to me. "Fuck, Esme!" I exclaimed, clutching my chest in surprise as my heart tried to leap out of my throat. "I will never get used to that!"

"Sorry," she snickered, looking around at those of us left. "Who's next?"

I quickly dictated the order of our departure, leaving myself for last despite the sharp ache in my chest from being so far from my mate. Esme transported us one at a time until it was only her and I left. Marcus had already disabled the door to this lab so that no one else would be able to get in until we were ready.

"Alright, Edward, time to go," Esme sighed, placing her hand on my shoulder. "I need to get you back to Bella. She's a little anxious…"

"Take me to her…please," I begged, the pain of separation no longer bearable. My surroundings blurred and my head spun as I suddenly found myself back in our own lab. "Fuck, that was intense," I panted, bending over to put my head between my legs until I regained my equilibrium.

"Edward!" my angel shouted as she pushed her way through our family and leapt into my arms. I barely had time to catch her as I stumbled back at the force of her impact. Bella wrapped herself around me and fused her lips to mine. I instinctively knew that there would be no further discussion tonight. I needed her too fucking much.

I broke from the kiss and looked at Didyme who waved me off. "Go, go…take care of her. But we need to talk in the morning."

I turned and sprinted from the lab, quickly making my way towards the trees. I needed to have her all to myself in our sanctuary. The things I wanted to do to this woman…

As we reached the clearing, I released Bella just long enough to divest us of all our clothing. Lowering her to the mossy carpet, I kissed every inch of exposed skin, sucking and biting in her most sensitive areas.

"Edward…I can't…I need…"

"Tell me what you need, Bella, and it's yours…always," I mumbled as I bit gently on her nipples, alternating from one to the other until she was writhing under me.

Bella's eyes snapped to mine as she flipped me onto my back, shimmying up my body until her dripping pussy was sliding up against my throbbing length, her moist heat almost searing. Leaning down, she whispered, "I can't do slow right now. I need you too much…"

I completely understood what she meant. It had been too long since we had been together this way and we needed to reclaim each other. Making love to my angel would come later…right now, I needed to fuck my mate. Lifting her up slightly, I positioned the head of my engorged cock at her slick entrance. She quickly sank down over me, engulfing me completely within her tight little body.

"Fuck…" I moaned, cupping her ass in my hands as she began to move up and down. Her pace quickened and her thrusts met mine as I flexed my hips on each downstroke. My breaths came in short pants as my lower belly burned with the impending orgasm I was desperately trying to stave off. I looked up at my angel to see her face flushed with desire as she rode me harder and harder.

"Ahh, Edward…so good…so deep…"

"That's it, baby. Use me…take me. _Fuck_ me. My cock is yours." I bit my lip and peeled my hands from her soft body, digging my fingers into the ground underneath me instead as we continued our arduous climb toward ecstasy.

She quivered around me as expletives flew from her beautiful lips. The sight of my beautiful mate coming on my cock was my complete undoing. My eyes rolled into the back of my head as my own orgasm ripped through me, a loud groan escaping from deep within me. Pure fucking bliss.

Bella collapsed exhausted onto my chest and I rolled her gently so that she was cuddled into my side. I kissed her temple and whispered, "I love you, Bella."

My declaration of love was met with a cute little snort followed by a loud snore. I looked down at my angel and swept the sweaty locks from her forehead. Her lips were pursed into an adorable little pout and her face was the picture of utter relaxation. Her eyes were closed and she was sleeping soundly.

Speculations and planning could wait until the morning. Simply content to have her here in my arms, I closed my own eyes and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: Thank you for your reviews, favorites, and follows. I appreciate each and every one. So there are several theories out there right now. I hope this chapter clears up a few of them.**

**As always, I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does.**

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><p>EPOV<p>

There was simply no way Emmett was going to let me live this down. No matter how hard I tried to walk straight, I still had a noticeable limp. I felt like I had gone fifteen rounds with Bella last night…oh wait, I _did_ go fifteen rounds with Bella last night! Christ, that woman was insatiable. We made love several times and fucked like animals for the rest of the night. Every damn time I drifted off to sleep, Bella would roll over on top of me and climb aboard.

I tried to massage my thighs, hoping to alleviate some of the stiffness and discomfort. No such luck. Bella wasn't faring much better. Poor girl looked like she had been riding a bucking bronco for ten hours straight. Which I guess technically…

"Come on, Edward. I'm starving," my angel whined as she pulled on her clothes. I winced at the bruises that mottled her beautiful pale skin. I was perhaps a tad bit rough last night, but I swore she came harder than ever when I pulled her hair tight and pounded into her from behind.

She flashed me a smile and nodded silently, having heard my perverse ramblings inside my head.

Little minx. I pulled her back down on top of my naked body, my second in command rising to salute her.

She slapped at me chest playfully and pulled her knee up to within inches of my fully erect cock; laughing as I cringed with apprehension. "I swear to God, Edward, if you don't get up and feed me your Lieutenant's going to pay the price."

I gulped loudly and willed my soldier into submission as I released my sweet girl from my grip. "Yeesh, no need to threaten bodily harm, woman." As she crawled away from my roaming hands, I smacked her perky little ass, deriving a small yelp from my little mate.

I jumped up from our makeshift bed and dressed quickly while trying to ignore the lascivious glances Bella kept tossing my way. "Stop it, angel, you had your chance."

She sauntered over to me, swaying her hips seductively. "Hmm…maybe I should rethink this-"

"No, no sweetcheeks," I chuckled, pulling her flush against me. I had her right where I wanted her. I leaned down and planted a soft kiss on the juncture between her neck and shoulder, eliciting a gravelly moan from her sweet lips. "You passed up earth shattering sex for pancakes. Remember?"

I smirked as her eyes widened with my declaration. "Did you say pancakes?" she gasped. Ripping her arms from around me, she darted out the door headed toward the kitchen.

Well that fucking backfired.

I sighed and ran my hand through my hair, trying to tame what I'm sure was the worst case of bed head ever. I really needed a fucking haircut, but that would have to wait. Today, we were regrouping. A lot had happened in the past forty eight hours, and we needed some time to reassess and strategize. Plus, we had some new abilities on board to consider.

As I rounded the corner in the kitchen, I smiled at the sight of my entire family sitting around the table, chuckling and eating. They hadn't noticed me yet, so I took a second to really appreciate the moment. Bella seemed to glow with happiness as she shoveled forkful after forkful of pancakes into her mouth. I guess she really worked up an appetite last night. My eyes narrowed as I looked a bit closer at my mate. She didn't _seem_ to be glowing, she _was_ glowing.

"Didyme!" I cried out alarmed as I strode into the room toward Bella. The closer I came to my little mate, the more her skin shimmered…almost iridescent. Before I could reach her, Didyme stood in front of me with her hand pressed against my chest to halt my forward momentum.

"Please calm down, Edward," she pleaded with a soft whisper. "I do not wish to alarm my daughter."

I lowered my voice, so as not to alert the others to my epic meltdown. "Didyme, what the hell is going on? She was physically ill yesterday and her erratic behavior even had Marcus concerned. What is this?"

Didyme smirked at me before leading me back out and to the end of the hallway so that we could speak in private. "I must apologize, Edward. There are a few things that I have apparently gotten wrong about yours and Bella's mating process."

My entire body shook as my worry escalated. "What's wrong with her? Is it something I did? Will she be okay?" I began to pace the hallway, assaulted by images of a sickly Bella clinging to life while I stood by, helpless.

"Calm, son, calm," she soothed. "There is nothing wrong with Bella. I believe that my daughter is with child."

Her statement stopped me dead in my tracks as my mind went completely blank. I was no longer able to function. My mouth refused to form words and I stood still as a statue for several long moments, trying desperately to process those two words.

With child.

Bella with child. My child.

Holy fuck.

I slumped back against the wall and slid down until I was sitting on the floor with my knees pulled to my chest. My head spun and I was simply unable to get a handle on the situation.

Didyme knelt down in front of me and placed her hands on my cheeks. "Edward? I know that you are a bit overwhelmed at the moment, but there are some things I must tell you." She waited until I finally nodded for her to continue.

"I am not one hundred percent certain, Edward. It will be several more weeks before a blood test can confirm a pregnancy." Didyme sighed and looked toward the kitchen. "The symptoms she has already exhibited coupled with what Marcus told me of her behavior yesterday has led me to this conclusion. So, until we know for sure…we wait."

"Is she in any danger? I mean…I'm human and she's Lanarian-"

"She is also half human, Edward, and your DNA now houses Lanarian traits as well," she interjected. "All will be fine. Her behavior may be a bit off and she may get sick from time to time or have a sudden urge or need."

I thought back to last night and how Bella seemed almost ravenous for me. It was unlike anything we had ever experienced. Jesus…and this was just the beginning? My poor cock…

The shock of the situation was beginning to wear off and a feeling of…almost giddiness began to take over. Would I be a good father? I admit, when the world first went to hell, I held out little hope of ever having anything close to a relationship with a woman. But here I sat…mated to an incredible creature…who could be carrying my child.

"Edward, I need you to keep this information to yourself for a little while." Didyme looked back toward the kitchen like she expected to be interrupted at any moment.

I snorted and rolled my eyes. "That's easier said than done, Didyme. She can read my emotions quite well and can tune in on my thoughts when they are directed toward her…for the most part. I'm actually surprised we haven't been interrupted yet-"

"Edward!" Bella called from the kitchen in a panic. My ears were met with the sound of scraping chair legs and hurried footsteps across the tile floor.

"Oops," I chuckled, "spoke too soon."

Bella appeared in the doorway of the kitchen and looked down to the end of the hallway where Didyme and I sat, still hunched on the floor. "Edward?" Bella called again as she raced toward me. She dropped to her knees beside her mother and took my hand in hers. "Are you okay? What's going on?"

"I'm fine, sweetheart. Your mother wanted to speak to me about Alice, but I got a little lightheaded…so I...uh...sat down." I swept her hair away from her face, once again admiring the new glow my angel was exhibiting.

"Oh, well I guess that explains the anxiety I was feeling," she mumbled. "You need to eat something. Come on. Everyone wants to have a pow wow and we're all just waiting on you."

I took Bella's outstretched hand and let her pull me from the floor. I gave one lingering look at Bella's flat tummy before bending down and gently kissing her lips while I basked in the warmth of my revelation…we might be having a baby.

"Okay, let's go," I grinned. "I smell bacon!"

"And pancakes!" she clapped. "They're so good!" Bella dragged me down the hallway as Didyme followed closely behind, giggling at her daughter's exuberance. She smirked and nodded in affirmation as if answering a silent question in her head.

The moment we stepped foot in the kitchen, Bella raced back to her plate while I stepped over to the counter to grab some food…bacon being my prime target. Bouncing in her chair, my little mate began moaning over the pancakes again causing my cock to stir. I quickly made my way over to the table and took the seat next to Bella before my erection could make itself known to the world.

"Morning, cowboy!" Emmett snickered, shoveling bacon into his mouth three pieces at a time. Dammit, I knew he would notice the limp. I scowled at him and dug into my breakfast, bracing myself against the inevitable onslaught of crude jokes and sexual innuendos.

Marcus cleared his throat to gain everyone's attention before Emmett's teasing got fully under way. "Now that we're all together, there are a few things I would like to discuss. William will be joining us shortly. I have asked him to remain close-"

"Marcus, are you sure we can trust William?" I interrupted. "How do we know that he isn't under the same form of mind control as Eric?"

"Because Marcus did a scan," William answered from the doorway. I narrowed my eyes at the stealthy fucker. "I am officially chip-free and not currently under anyone's control but my own."

"But you knew. You knew about Eric."

William looked stunned for a moment before answering. "Yes, I knew that Eric was chipped."

"And you didn't say anything?" I scoffed.

"I didn't know if James was watching while we were back in that lab. More importantly, I don't know you so why should I trust you?" His eyes narrowed as we continued to glare at one another.

Our standoff would seem almost comical if it weren't over such serious subject matter. This man was about to be told all of our secrets and as of this moment I wouldn't trust him with my high school locker combination.

"Edward, I understand your hesitance," Didyme professed, "but I assure you he can be trusted." Her declaration gave me pause as I considered the sincerity of her words. Didyme had a built in bullshit detector, so she instinctively knew the good from the bad and the innocent from the liars. It was why she had always steered clear of Caius, Aro, and Simmons.

Eyeing William speculatively, I finally relented. "Fine," I huffed, shoving more bacon into my mouth to muffle my petulant grumbling. Bella rubbed my back soothingly as if trying to placate a cranky toddler. She giggled at the annoyed look on my face before turning her full attention to William.

As all eyes fell on him, William rubbed the back of his neck nervously and sweat broke out across his brow. "Well, now that you've all been reassured of my allegiance to Marcus and the work we do here, I'd like to explain my scientific expertise and see if I can be of use to you."

I quirked my eyebrow at his nervous demeanor and urged him to continue with his explanation.

"I'm a biophysicist," he stated pretentiously, as if we should've automatically known what that meant. William looked around at the blank stares on our faces and sighed before continuing. "I study the processes of the human body on a molecular level to determine why some humans are more physically and mentally gifted than others and from what part of the body these gifts are derived."

Marcus was right…with his knowledge, William could prove to be very helpful.

"So you have actually worked with humans that had special abilities?" Carlisle asked, completely entranced by this new field of study. Ever the scientist.

"Absolutely!" William pulled out a vacant chair and sat down next to Carlisle. "I've worked with all kinds of abilities. Some were rather weak while others were incredibly powerful. Some saw their abilities as a gift from God and embraced a life here among us. The others were given the inhibitor and sent back to their lives."

Carlisle's expression turned dark as he contemplated how best to ask his next question. "This…inhibitor…it suppresses abilities?"

"Yes," William whispered. Immediately realizing his slip up, he quickly backpedaled. "Before you jump to conclusions, please understand…there were parents who brought their children here. Extremely young, powerful children who were hurting others around them because they could not control their gifts. We had to find a way to help them."

Carlisle relaxed marginally when posed with William's explanation. I had to admit, he had a valid point.

"The inhibitor was only used by request. We never forced it on anyone," William continued cautiously.

"I've heard stories…I guess everyone has at one point or another," I sighed. "A mother lifts a burning car off of her child, a man falls through a wall in one city to reemerge halfway across the world in the span of a few seconds, even street magicians that can bend spoons with their minds. So, how is it that humans have developed these abilities?"

"Evolution, sweet boy," Didyme smiled proudly. "The human race has been evolving on its own for centuries. I suspect that had it been given enough time, the race in its entirety would have evolved to survive the challenges it now faces…without our interference. Humans simply ran out of time."

I looked into each face of every family member sitting around that table and sent a silent thanks into the cosmos for our survival. I also felt a deep ache within me, my soul mourning the loss of almost an entire species. I silently vowed to do everything in my power to ensure our continued existence on this planet…or any other. Bella tugged at my hand and smiled gently at me with tears in her eyes.

"We will save all that we can, sweet boy." Didyme patted my arm soothingly having witnessed mine and Bella's private exchange. "This species still has so much to offer."

"Yes, well, I hope to be a part of that," William interjected, attempting to bring us back on point. Motioning to Bella and Rosalie, he continued, "These girls have grown up in this compound and I have studied their abilities, mapping their DNA in order to give me better insight into their particular gifts. Marcus has explained the _conversion_ that the rest of you have undergone, and the subsequent abilities that you have developed. I would like to work with each of you one on one to help you enhance those abilities. James has amassed a force that will be difficult to eradicate. Many of them are innocent…just misled. "

All throughout William's speech, Emmett fidgeted in his seat, like he had a question on the tip of his tongue but never an opportunity to ask it. His knees bounced up and he sat on his hands, looking around the table with his brows furrowed.

"Emmett, are you okay?" I asked, my concern growing as his curious twitching amplified.

He nodded his head up and down and then back and forth, his shaking intensifying with every jerky movement. Rosalie placed a concerned hand on his shoulder, but he deftly shook her off. I stood from the table and pulled Bella behind me reaching out for Rosalie as well. I looked to Marcus and then to William. "What's happening?"

William stepped toward Emmett confidently. "Show me your hands," he demanded. Emmett continued to rock in his seat, growling lowly. William leaned forward, studying him quietly for a moment before leaning his hands on the table surface. "You're a telekinetic, aren't you?" His question was met with a vicious snarl.

"Son, listen to me carefully," William stated calmly while holding his hands out in a nonthreatening manner. "I've seen this before. This gift is new to you and you have restricted your use of it. This power builds up…it must be released."

Emmett continued to restrain his hands while his entire body vibrated from the power coursing through him.

"What the fuck is happening to him!" Rosalie shouted as she tried to make her way around me and back to Emmett's side. I reached out and grabbed her arm, wanting only to keep her from danger. Emmett's eyes snapped to my hand clasped tightly around his mate's wrist and chaos ensued.

Emmett rose from his chair as his body quaked with fury, his hands freed from the restraint of his weight. The table rattled against the floor as the chairs flew out in opposite directions, narrowly missing Bella by a few inches. Practically everything not nailed down began to swirl around the room.

I turned to Marcus and shoved Bella and Rosalie in his direction. "Get everyone out of here…now!" They were too slow. I felt my body being lifted from the floor by an immense invisible force and tossed against the wall, my head making contact over and over.

"Emmett, stop!" I screamed through the pain. Turning my head slightly I watched as Bella was also thrown into a nearby wall, slumping to the floor unconscious. "No!" I shouted, the force within my mind extending outward like nothing I had ever experienced. The mass of tentacles wrapped around Emmett's mind, invading every cell.

_EMMETT, STOP! LOWER YOUR HANDS!_

He immediately complied with my silent command. The moment his arms lowered, everything held suspended in the room, myself included, crashed to the floor. I quickly scurried over to my injured mate, kneeling over her crumpled form.

I wiped the blood away from her nose and mouth as Marcus and Carlisle rushed to my side. "No, no, no…please no."


End file.
